The Guardian view on the book publishing industry: no one size fits all | Editorial

The failure of a recent bid to merge two large publishing companies shines a light on a central issue of cultural powerDespite a rise in self-publishing, commercial publishers are still the main gatekeepers of what arrives on our bookshelves. As such, they have great cultural and – if a book takes off – economic power. A case decided in a US court this week provided an insight into just how much of that power is now concentrated in a small handful of multinational companies.At issue was a planned merger of Simon & Schuster with Penguin Random House (PRH) – two of the so-called big five, which between them control 90% of the US publishing market, a fact not always obvious to the casual observer, as books usually carry on their spines the names of imprints, or subdivisions, of the parent company. PRH, itself the result of a mega-merger in 2013, runs about 300 imprints. Given the reach of these companies – PRH is active in more than 20 countries – the Department of Justice’s successful argument that the planned $2.2bn deal would “exert outsized influence over which books are published in the United States and how much authors are paid for their work” applies globally. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2022-11-04 18:25:28 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "The Guardian view on the book publishing industry: no one size fits all | Editorial"

S&S sign Sam Warburton books

Welsh rugby captain Sam Warburton has signed a two-book deal with Simon & Schuster. The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Publisher Settles in E-book Price Fixing Case

Simon & Schuster becomes the latest publisher to settle an antitrust claim by a team of states, while Macmillan, Penguin, and Apple fight on. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

"Fantastic" first quarter for S&S

Simon & Schuster has revealed a 14% increase in like-for-like book sales in the UK, including... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Two from Robert Ryan for S&S

Simon & Schuster has signed two historical thrillers from Sunday Times-bestselling author and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Same Sex, Different Story: PW Talks with Rodger Streitmatter

Just as president Obama comes out in favor of gay marriage, a new book takes a close look at American same sex couples, from Walt Whitman to Greta Garbo to Jasper Johns. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Digital revenues up 64% for S&S US

Digital revenues for Simon & Schuster US climbed 64% in the first quarter of the year, while... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Midson launches consultancy

Colin Midson, until recently an editor at Simon & Schuster, has launched a book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

S&S takes two on Melissa Nathan shortlist

Two titles from Simon & Schuster have made the shortlist for the Melissa Nathan Award for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

S&S signs world for Elliott Wright

Simon & Schuster has signed world rights in two novels by début author Susan Elliott... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Australia pondering joining ebook lawsuit bandwagon

If Apple, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillian, Penguin and Simon & Schuster thought they only had to contend with a federal ebook lawsuit in the US, they'd better think again. Australia's Competition and Consumer commission is inviting local businesses to raise formal concerns as it weighs... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

U.S. files price-fixing lawsuit over eBook pricing

The U.S. filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple Inc., Hachette SA, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster in New York district court, claiming collusion over eBook pricing. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Hachette, S&S and Harper settle with DoJ over agency

Hachette, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins have settled with the US Department of Justice... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

S&S swoops on Flying Aces memoir

Kerri Sharp, senior commissioning editor non-fiction at Simon & Schuster, has acquired a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

The New Press: 20 Years of Publishing ‘in the Public Interest’

Twenty years after it was founded by former Pantheon publisher Andre Schiffrin as a nonprofit publisher with a mission statement to publish “in the public interest,” the New Press is on something of a roll. The house has a new bestseller—Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow—spacious offices in... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Two Madeley novels for S&S

Simon & Schuster has acquired two novels by broadcaster and Richard & Judy Book Club... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Media Decoder Blog: Amanda Knox's Ex-Boyfriend Signs Book Deal

Raffaele Sollecito, the Italian student who was dating Ms. Knox when they were both charged with murder in 2007, will write his own memoir, for an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

Jessie J autobiography to S&S

Simon & Schuster has acquired the autobiography of pop star Jessie J, with plans to publish... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

E-book firms need to make changes to settle probe

(Bloomberg) - News Corp.'s HarperCollins and four other publishers probed by European Union need to address regulatory concerns before they can settle the antitrust case, the European Union's competition commissioner said. Joaquin Almunia, the antitrust chief, told reporters Monday that a... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this

EU ready to settle with publishers over ebook price-fixing, but no talks yet

European Union antitrust chief Joaquin Almunia says that the Competition Commission is open to a settlement with publishers in the increasingly high-profile ebook price fixing case, but only if the companies address key regulatory issues. Almunia says regulators are coordinating with the Justice... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this