Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Is Amazon a Friend to Readers - An Intelligence Squared Debate

2/15/2015 - In late 2014, Amazon and the publishing house Hachette settled a months-long dispute over who should set the price for e-books. In Amazon’s view, lower prices mean more sales and more readers, and that benefits everyone. But for publishers, the price of an e-book must reflect the investment made, from the author’s advance to a book’s production. The conflict, resolved for now, has only raised more questions about the value of books, Amazon’s business practices, and the role of publishers. Is book publishing an oligopoly, a dinosaur in need of disruption? Is Amazon, which accounts for 41% of all new book and 67% of all e-book sales, a monopoly? Who is doing right by readers and the future of books?

http://intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/past-debates/item/1250-amazon-is-the-readers-friend

Sue is a native Missoulian. She has worked at the University of Montana for more than 15 years, 10 of them at Montana Public Radio.
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information