A class action lawsuit was brought to a southern district of New York last year claiming Amazon and many of the worlds largest publishers — Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster — agreed to price fix the price of ebooks. This would keep the prices artificially, so customers would have to pay more. Last week, the US magistrate Judge … [Read more...] about Judge recommends dropping lawsuit against Amazon and Publishers for price fixing ebooks
Digital Publishing News
Pearson wants to convert ebooks and textbooks to NFTS
Pearson is one of the largest publishers of textbooks and they are looking to make money from second-hand books by turning them into non-fungible tokens (NFTS).This is a stark departure from their normal business operations, which involve selling new print or digital textbooks or using a subscription platform to get access to a bunch of digital editions. The print editions … [Read more...] about Pearson wants to convert ebooks and textbooks to NFTS
Penguin Random House is trying to thwart the US Justice Department
Penguin Random House wants to move ahead with their acquisition of Simon and Shuster. The one hurdle that is blocking it, is the US Justice Department that is citing anti-trust concerns. The publisher as just filed their pre-trial brief and there is some key takeaways. The most notable is this is a pro-consumer acquisition that will allow Simon & Schuster and its editors … [Read more...] about Penguin Random House is trying to thwart the US Justice Department
Publishers are out for blood against Internet Archive
Today, member companies of the Association of American Publishers (AAP) filed a motion for summary judgment in the copyright infringement lawsuit against Internet Archive, first filed on June 1, 2020 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The filings show that IA’s illegal mass scanning, public display, and distribution of literary works are … [Read more...] about Publishers are out for blood against Internet Archive
Will you record Podcasts on Spotify?
Spotify is known for their music catalog and they are the largest player in this space, with Apple a close second. In recent years, podcasts have been a growing part of everyone's digital strategy. Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Audible and Spotify are all giants in this space and they lock up big name celebrities' for exclusive contracts. What about everyone else? It is hard … [Read more...] about Will you record Podcasts on Spotify?
New Study Shows Audiobook Increase in France
A new study from France’s publishers shows that French audiobook fans are moving away from tape and CDs to embrace digital audio, according to a May 4th Publishing Perspectives article. May is “Audio Book Month” in France, according to the Syndicat national de l’édition (SNE). The French Publishers Association (SNE) is France’s trade association of book publishers, … [Read more...] about New Study Shows Audiobook Increase in France
Hachette ebook sales declined in the past three months of 2022
Hachette is one of the largest publishers in the world and they have just announced their first quarter earnings. Sales increased by 8.7% and they generated $591 million USD in the first three months of 2022. Digital book sales accounted for 8.1% of total publishing in 2022, compared to 9% in the first quarter of 2021. Sales of downloadable audiobooks continued to improve and … [Read more...] about Hachette ebook sales declined in the past three months of 2022
Libraries Unintentionally Offered ‘Hate’ Books via Digital Services
Hoopla and OneDrive are digital media services used by more than 8,500 libraries in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. They allow library patrons access to movies, audiobooks, and ebooks. Libraries buy a subscription to their services, and unlike buying physical books, librarians don’t always have input or control of what’s included. Recently, some librarians have … [Read more...] about Libraries Unintentionally Offered ‘Hate’ Books via Digital Services
Comixology’s David Steinberger Leaving For New Amazon Position
David Steinberger, CEO and president of Comixology, Amazon’s digital comics marketplace, is leaving to launch a brand new Amazon-wide initiative (details about this new project have yet to be released). Through a five-part note posted on Twitter, Steinberger shared his plans to departure Comixology, although he will stay on as an advisor. Steinberger described this change as … [Read more...] about Comixology’s David Steinberger Leaving For New Amazon Position
McCarthy to Publish Two Novels this Fall
It’s been almost sixteen years since Cormac McCarthy's published a book, but now, not one, but two novels are on the way. McCarthy, author of The Road and No Country for Old Men, is widely considered one of the most profound American authors alive, and is publishing two new novels, The New York Times reports. Born in Rhode Island on July 20, 1933 to the original name … [Read more...] about McCarthy to Publish Two Novels this Fall