Have I got eNews for you

The price fixing case against Apple and several major publishers has escalated and now there are 32 states involved in suing the company. It's out of control with everyone and their uncle lining up to take money from publishing when the industry can ill afford it. And that's only the tip of the iceberg and several European countries including the UK are also bringing cases against Apple and the publishers involved in the row. And now Australia are getting in on the act -  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has urged local retailers with concerns about price-fixing in the electronic book publishing market to voice their concerns, as it considers its options following a US Justice Department lawsuit against Apple and five of the world’s largest book publishers. The book publishing world was rocked yesterday when the Department of Justice filed suit against Apple and publishers Penguin Group, Macmillan, Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, alleging they conspired to drive up the price of e-books.

Internet eBook sensation Fifty Shades of Gray is being banned from libraries across the US. Given that the book is a bestseller and available in most stores this seems a stupid move and reeks of censorship. Several UK libraries have also banned the book - an absolutely idiotic move given that libraries across the country are threatened with closure. There is obviously a huge demand for the book and  surely drawing people into the library should be the chief concern.

US Publishing giant, Houghton Mifflin filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on this last Monday. The filing came as state and local governments cut their budgets, reducing demand for textbooks for students from kindergarten to 12th grade, Houghton Mifflin’s main business. The company is also known for publishing authors from Mark Twain to J.R.R. Tolkien.