This morning the Supreme Court released results from their Friday Conference, indicating that they denied Apple’s request to have their appeal of the ebook antitrust case heard. The Court’s denial of cert. brings the lawsuit to an end, and also means Apple’s monetary settlement with the state attorneys general and the consumer class providing $400 million in compensation to consumers (plus $50 million in attorney fees) will now proceed. That settlement, originally reached in June 2014 and approved by Judge Cote two months later, was upheld separately by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals last month. Class-action firm Hagens Berman’s managing partner Steve Berman, who originally […]
Archives for March 2016
Amazon’s La Jolla Bookstore to Open This Summer
After advertising for bookstore staff for a new outpost in “the La Jolla or San Diego area,” it’s now clear that Amazon Books will open a store in La Jolla’s Westfield UTC mall, “coming this summer.” The San Diego Union Tribune shows a picture of the space under renovation with Amazon Books displayed prominently on the outside. Company spokesperson Sarah Gelman confirms to the paper, “We are excited to be bringing Amazon Books to the University Towne Center Mall in San Diego and we are currently hiring store managers and associates. Stay tuned for additional details down the road.” The new […]
More Berkley/NAL Staffers Are Laid Off
A spokesperson for Berkley/NAL confirms that “a number of positions” at the division, which was merged into Putnam Dutton in January, have been eliminated. Other outlets and Twitter conversations indicate at least four editors and other support staff have been let go, and that title cuts at the Ace and Roc science fiction and fantasy imprints are on the way. The spokesperson did not confirm or deny any of these changes, stating “per corporate policy, we will not identify or comment further about the specific positions or individuals affected.” PW had a short report on the cutbacks earlier today. The […]
On Pat Conroy, 70, and More
Author Pat Conroy‘s pancreatic cancer advanced far more quickly than expected when he announced his condition to fans in mid-February, and he died Friday evening at his home in Beaufort, SC. His longtime editor and publisher Nan Talese said in a brief statement, “Pat has been my beloved friend and author for 35 years, spanning his career from THE PRINCE OF TIDES to today. He will be cherished as one of America’s favorite and bestselling writers, and I will miss him terribly.” Penguin Random House has dedicated its sales conference, ongoing throughout this week, to Conroy. At Sunday night’s opening night dinner, ceo […]
Quantifying Nook’s Decline, and More
As Barnes & Noble ceo Ron Boire first announced in Thursday’s investor call, Nook UK will shut down on March 15, and customers are being are transferred to Sainsbury’s Entertainment on Demand. Nook explained the transitions to customers online. The same date is when Nook told customers they will stop selling apps (though they are having a final sale until then). The company’s stock rallied Thursday on decent earnings and the continued reduction of Nook — though it’s still below where it was until before the previous quarter’s report. And while the company’s account of the “lowest number of store closings […]
Today’s Headlines On Stage Next Week — Last Call to Pre-Register for DBW
We couldn’t get a more timely program for you for next week’s Digital Book World, as Ingram Content Group ceo John Ingram is one of lead keynoters in our track on the meaningful corporate transformations still under way — as ICG confirmed their deal to purchase Perseus Book Group’s distribution lines. It’s a move that Ingram himself said shifts their “center of gravity … away from our roots as a wholesaler” and “supports Ingram’s transformation to a more comprehensive provider of global publisher services with a compelling offering in physical and digital distribution.” Yesterday’s other main story was Barnes & Noble’s […]