authors

Silence of the Lambs: The Missing Voice of Authors in the SOPA Debate

Lisa Alter, Partner, Alter & Kendrick in Voices on January 30 at 12:26 pm PT

The recent mainstream media frenzy surrounding the Stop Online Piracy Act is perhaps most notable for the voice that is absent in the debate: The individual creator of intellectual property.

Cheapest E-Books Upend the Charts

Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on April 21, 2011 at 4:00 am PT

The nation’s largest book publishers are facing increasing pricing pressure on the digital front as the number of cheap, self-published digital titles gain popularity with readers seeking budget-minded entertainment.

Judge Rejects Google Books Settlement

Amir Efrati, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on March 22, 2011 at 1:50 pm PT

A federal judge in Manhattan on Tuesday rejected Google Inc.’s settlement with authors and publishers that would allow it to make millions of books available online, saying it would give the Internet giant the ability to “exploit” books without the permission of copyright owners. In a 48-page decision, Denny Chin, a judge on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, denied the 2008 settlement between Google, authors and publishers “without prejudice,” meaning they could submit a revised pact that would better protect copyright owners.

Honey, I Shrunk the E-Book: Amazon Slicing "Singles" for Kindle [UPDATED]

Peter Kafka in Media on October 12, 2010 at 6:50 am PT

No reason not to do this: Amazon is carving out room on its digital shelves for “Singles”–essentially, mini e-books for its Kindle platform. Or, if you prefer, you can think of them as very long magazine articles.

DOJ on Google Book Settlement: Get Me Another Rewrite

John Paczkowski in News on February 5, 2010 at 5:05 am PT

The Department of Justice still isn’t sold on the Google Books settlement agreement. In a brief filed late Thursday, the DOJ said that significant legal problems remain despite the considerable changes Google, publishers and authors have made to it.

Amazon and Others Slam Revised Google Books Deal

Jessica E. Vascellaro, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on January 28, 2010 at 1:00 am PT

Critics who blasted the first Google Books settlement have begun weighing in with objections to the modified agreement, which Google and authors sealed late last year to allay concerns that the first pact would give Google a monopoly in digital books.

Amazon Pushes Royalty Rates Up–And Prices Down–For Do-It-Yourself E-Book Publishers

Peter Kafka in Media on January 20, 2010 at 5:50 am PT

Amazon is doubling the royalty rate it pays small e-book authors and publishers–if they promise to keep the prices of their digital texts below the price of physical books. The goals here are obvious: Push prices down and try to keep business away from a growing list of rivals.

Google: We’re Hiring, and Spending, Again

Peter Kafka in Media on October 7, 2009 at 10:55 am PT

Google CEO Eric Schmidt used the opening moments of a New York City press conference to reinforce a message he’s been delivering for several weeks: The worst is over, things are looking up, and Google is spending accordingly.