Amazon UK issued a press release Monday touting the news that ebook sales now outpace all print sales combined, measured across 2012. For every 100 print books sold from Amazon.co.uk (in all formats combined), they’ve sold 114 Kindle editions. As usual, their ratio excludes free Kindle books (but does include very inexpensive ones, and KDP titles). Amazon US passed a similar milestone as of April 1, 2011. They also declare EL James as Amazon UK’s all-time bestselling author, they say, her combined print and Kindle sales eclipsing JK Rowling’s total sales at the site. Amazon UK has sold more than […]
Legal
DOJ Asks for Quick Approval of eBook Settlement, with No Hearing
As expected, on Friday the Department of Justice moved for entry of the proposed final judgment in the settlement with Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster, “without further hearing.” The government reiterated its belief “that the proposed Final Judgment is an appropriate remedy to the harm alleged in the Complaint with respect to Settling Defendants and is within the reaches of the public interest.” It should be simple, according to the DOJ: “The proposed Final Judgment resolves the claims against Settling Defendants and there is nothing further for the Court to adjudicate with respect to them.” They even […]
ABA and Barnes & Noble to File Joint Brief Urging Rejection of eBook Settlement
The ABA and Barnes & Noble have gotten together on something: they requested permission from Judge Denise Cote to file an amici curiae brief on the pending ebook pricing settlement. In a proposed order for the judge, they ask to submit a brief of up to 10 pages on the Department of Justice’s filed response to the public’s comments submitted under the Tunney Act, along with a response of up to 5 pages on Justice’s motion for entry of proposed final judgment in the case. Justice now has the option of opposing their request before Judge Cote rules on it. […]
Trying Again to Dismiss Scanning Suit, Google Reasons No Harm, No Foul
Though Google failed in their recent attempt to block fresh certification of the author class in the long-running lawsuit over the library book scanning project, the search giant continues to try to bring the legal battle to an end. In a series of submissions last Friday, Google asked the court for summary judgment (or adjudication). The filing is perhaps best as a marking post of how much the online publishing world has changed–and its fundamental business models have not–in the 8 years since Google started scanning books in libraries. Google’s motion includes an extensive list of what they call “uncontested […]
Though 92 Percent of Comments Oppose Settlement, Justice Is Unmoved
Per our report on Friday, the Department of Justice published the public comments on the proposed ebook pricing settlement with Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster on Monday morning, along with a 64-page summary and response. DOJ received 868 comments in all, 92 percent of which opposed the settlement, while “nearly [but not quite] seventy of those comments favored the suit and settlement.” Of those writing in favor, “several” of the submissions from 52 “readers and consumers” were similar to an online form letter. It will be no surprise that the DOJ is unpersuaded by any of the […]
Harlequin Says Authors Have Been Treated Fairly
In a brief statement responding to class-action lawsuit filed in the New York by three authors, Harlequin said it “wishes to make clear that this is the first it has heard of the proceedings and that a complaint has not yet been served.” In the brief statement, ceo Donna Hayes says: “Our authors have been recompensed fairly and properly for their work, and we will be defending ourselves vigorously.”