• E-books are finally embracing color images, but how much should you pay for them? Op-Ed by Gwyn Headley, Managing Director, FotoLibra When e-readers first made their appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair a decade ago, they caused a sensation. We held the future of publishing in our hands. A lo-res page of black Times New Roman on a grey …
New Study Finds Dramatic Difference Between Author Rights in Germany, Spain, France and UK
By Olivia Snaije The book and writing “observatory,” le MOTif, funded by the Paris regional government, is becoming increasingly visible in France’s book world. Le MOTif has just released a study on author rights in Europe, the result of a year-long research project about the legislatures, economic and legal aspects of the industry and more than 50 interviews with publishers, …
Mollet Brings Military Discipline, Music Industry Experience to UK’s Publishers Association
By Liz Bury Not many senior folk in the publishing industry can claim to have spent eight years in the British Royal Navy. Richard Mollet, new chief executive of the UK Publisher’s Association, did, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant by the time he left in 1996. He is attending the Frankfurt Book Fair for the first time, ahead …
Should the EC Legislate Clearances for Digital Book Rights?
By Edward Nawotka Today’s lead story looks at a new report from the European Commission about the status of orphan works — books, films, et al. — and what must be done to streamline rights clearances. The EC is famous for issuing rules and regulations for all manner of minutiae (the noise limit of lawnmowers, for example). Should it have a …
Will Europe’s Three Million Orphan Books Ever Be Digitized?
By Edward Nawotka • The EC has determined there are three million orphan books in Europe and the cost of clearing digital rights is costly, often far higher than digitization itself. • One solution might be Europe-wide collective licensing agreements modeled on those currently in use in Scandinavia. BRUSSELS: The issue of orphan books –- those books with no clear …
Should content licenses be less expensive for digital distribution?
By Edward Nawotka Today’s lead article discusses the impact of digitization on copyright issues with Copyright Clearance Center’s CEO Tracey Armstrong. One of the issues raised is whether the cost of licensing content is ultimately too expensive for individuals who want to publish digitally. Armstrong believes there is something out there for everyone, from affordable all-you-can-use buffet buckets of content …
All Information Doesn’t Want to Be Free
By Edward Nawotka “Copyright holders have the right to price and term the works that they have created, the works that they own. That’s a stake in the ground. I couldn’t do what I do for a living without believing that,” says Tracey Armstrong (pictured right), CEO of the Copyright Clearance Center, in a conversation earlier this week on the …
Author Contracts 2.0: Putting Cash Before Copyright and Control
By Liz Bury In the world of multi-channel digital distribution the future author contract is likely to put transparency and cash flow above copyright protection, as a new working dynamic emerges between publishers and authors. The advent of digital distribution means that authors should “surrender to the inevitable” and let go of control of their work, said Clive Rich, principal …
Do Books Need a Warning Label to Ward Off Pirates?
By Edward Nawotka In our lead story today about the IPA Copyright Symposium held in Abu Dhabi this past Sunday and Monday, Marybeth Peters, register of copyrights, Library of Congress in the United States said that public perception of copyright is eroding and that publishers need to “engage” readers so that “copyright is seen as a good thing” and “not …
Strengthening Copyright Protections in the Middle East
By Edward Nawotka ABU DHABI: “Copyright is the legal principle that expresses society’s respect for authors and publishers, and protects the commercial interest in their creation,” said, Herman P. Spruijt, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), at the IPA Copyright Symposium which took place this past Sunday and Monday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. “It is at the …