Something Is Rotten In The State Of E-Book Publishing

The publishing industry has a problem. The old guard haven't innovated. And neither their business models nor their products embrace the digital books revolution. Take the ongoing and complicated spat between Apple and the Justice Department over the agency pricing model and alleged collusion which ended up with consumers being forced to spend more than they needed to. The battle may expand internationally, in fact. Apple tried to expand its 30% revenue share model, which has done very well in the billion-dollar app economy, into books. It also pushed publishers to agree to a very different way of selling their products: Instead of buying books traditionally, at a pre-agreed wholesale price and then pricing them as Apple saw fit in the iBookstore, it would let the publishers set their own price and extract its usual fixed share of the income ... as long as the publishers wouldn't sell ebooks elsewhere.It was a bold move, and one that could and did shake up the industry a bit. Amazon, the publishers contend, had established a monopoly on ebooks, and was selling their wares at overly discounted prices. With Apple's model they could choose to price ebooks lower than physical books cost (appeasing consumers who expect to pay less for a non-physical product), and yet extract more money due to the cost-savings of e-publishing.The DOJ disagreed, and says Apple's deal meant consumers ended up spending much more than they needed to, hence its action against Apple and a laundry... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2012-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ether for Authors: Booking the Future

Porter Anderson reports from the FutureBook conference in London, where agents are making serious moves. Also: Irelands ebooks, YA inspiration and more. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In New Book, Google's Schmidt and Cohen Tackle Digital Challenges

Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, and Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas, will address the promises and pitfalls of a digitally connected world in a book titled “The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations and Business,” due out on April 23 from Knopf. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown launches digital programme with Kindle Direct Publishing

Agency Curtis Brown has launched a digital self-publishing programme through Kindle Direct... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mobile Self-publishing Platform XinXii Launches in Russia

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Thomson named as News Corp publishing head

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers in 'dream' position, FutureBook hears

Publishers have "done a lot right" and are standing in a much stronger position in the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-Serials as the “Third Layer” in the Publishing World

Plympton—a startup publisher of serialized digital fiction—was created as 'a nimble alternative to the major publishers and online markets,' as the founders explain. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hutchinson acquires book on female body

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-books and apps to 'unwrap'

The Kindle was not guaranteed to catch on when Amazon introduced its e-reader five years ago, but ebooks are now a routine alternative to hardcovers and paperbacks. The Kindle was not guaranteed to catch on when Amazon introduced its e-reader five years ago, but ebooks are now a routine... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Maureen Johnson to Hot Key Books

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing to Open European Division

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Txtr Launches E-Book Store in Denmark

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Powers wins Guardian First Book Award

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Government renews Booktrust book-giving grant

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Hunger Games' author Suzanne Collins will release a picture book

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London Book Fair Names Jacks Thomas as Director

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomberg's Licencing Chief on How to Sell Your Content to Other Publishers and Partners

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[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Polpo is Waterstones Book of the Year

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Audio Book Club on NW

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[ Slate | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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