Library News, Reviews, and Views
Macmillan on Friday became the last of five major publishers to settle a lawsuit over the pricing of ebooks originally filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and 15 states in April 2012. In an email addressed to “Authors, Illustrators and Agents” Macmillan CEO John Sargent wrote that he believed the company had done nothing wrong and could still win the case, but the risk of losing the legal battle had become too high.
Pending the approval of U.S. District Judge Denise Cote, $69 million will be awarded to consumers who purchased agency-priced ebooks between April 2010 and May 2012, as part of a proposed settlement of a state antitrust suit filed against HarperCollins, Hachette SA, and Simon & Schuster. Led by the Attorneys General of Connecticut and Texas, 49 states (excluding Minnesota) and 5 U.S. territories had accused the publishers of conspiring to fix ebook prices.
U.S. District Court judge Denise Cote denied a motion by Apple, Penguin, and Macmillian to dismiss a civil class action suit that alleges Apple and the major publishers colluded to set ebook prices. The-56 page court document explains the standard of proof Judge Cote applied, saying that the court “may not properly dismiss a complaint [...]
The Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation of Apple and five major publishers could reach a conclusion as early as this week, according to Bloomberg. The department is looking into whether the publishers and Apple violated antitrust laws when they decided to adopt the “agency model” of ebook pricing. Apple, Penguin and Macmillan are prepared to [...]
In this Article Random House HarperCollins Melville House The reading ecosystem is evolving fast, even as you read this. Facing the rapid transition to ebooks together, rather than in isolated camps, librarians, publishers, authors, and readers can ensure that we meet our missions on all fronts. This series of conversations is a start, aspiring to [...]
INFOdocket by Gary Price
