The Amazon Effect - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T07:40:45Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/the-amazon-effect?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A347641&feed=yes&xn_auth=noWhat's going on with the Houg…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3485902012-07-06T20:25:58.257ZJohn McFetridgehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnMcF
<p>What's going on with the Houghton Miflin Harcourt-Amazon deal?</p>
<p>The movie studios used to own all the theatres, that's the break-up I was talking about (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Paramount_Pictures,_Inc">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Paramount_Pictures,_Inc</a>.)</p>
<p>You can never tell how these break-ups will go or what new technology come along, but most companies want to get as big a market share as possible.</p>
<p>Amazon has already…</p>
<p>What's going on with the Houghton Miflin Harcourt-Amazon deal?</p>
<p>The movie studios used to own all the theatres, that's the break-up I was talking about (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Paramount_Pictures,_Inc">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Paramount_Pictures,_Inc</a>.)</p>
<p>You can never tell how these break-ups will go or what new technology come along, but most companies want to get as big a market share as possible.</p>
<p>Amazon has already started Amazon Studios for TV and movie production.</p>
<p>But as long as Amazon offer the same distribution rates to all publishers and not just their own imprints, it'll be fine. Of course, that will be very tough to regulate ;).</p>
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<p> </p> Neil, you are the one person…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3486822012-07-06T19:47:33.664ZCammy May Hunnicutthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CammyMayHunnicutt
<p>Neil, you are the one person on here whose opinion on this topic I'd most like to hear.</p>
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<p>Do you think amazon might threaten publishing? </p>
<p>Do your colleagues see it as dangerous?</p>
<p>Neil, you are the one person on here whose opinion on this topic I'd most like to hear.</p>
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<p>Do you think amazon might threaten publishing? </p>
<p>Do your colleagues see it as dangerous?</p> But, at risk of more ire, the…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3485792012-07-06T19:46:04.026ZCammy May Hunnicutthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CammyMayHunnicutt
<p>But, at risk of more ire, the amazon situation is more like if amazon owned the biggest movie studio and the biggest chain of theaters And KMart and WalMart. And were launching TV networks.</p>
<p>It's pretty huge. I can't really think offhand of anything that's ever been that vertical and that horizontal. </p>
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<p>What I'd like to see, really (for more ire, I expect) would be if there was another group or two similar to amazon with the same reach, like the big three car…</p>
<p>But, at risk of more ire, the amazon situation is more like if amazon owned the biggest movie studio and the biggest chain of theaters And KMart and WalMart. And were launching TV networks.</p>
<p>It's pretty huge. I can't really think offhand of anything that's ever been that vertical and that horizontal. </p>
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<p>What I'd like to see, really (for more ire, I expect) would be if there was another group or two similar to amazon with the same reach, like the big three car companies. </p>
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<p>Just out of curiosity, what do you think would happen if amazon acquired St Martins or something like that? Would that suddenly be antitrust stuff?</p> Cable companies are only mono…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3487582012-07-06T18:23:16.047ZDana Kinghttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
<p>Cable companies are only monopolies if your jurisdiction allows only one chosen company to have access, so that's a local issue and not quite the same as what we're getting at here. Satellite is a way around that. I don't know if the law has changed, but there used to be a federal reg that denied HOA and condo boards the ability to prohibit satellite dishes for the same reasons you're talking about. (An ex-wife used to work in the industry.) You might want to check on that. Just because your…</p>
<p>Cable companies are only monopolies if your jurisdiction allows only one chosen company to have access, so that's a local issue and not quite the same as what we're getting at here. Satellite is a way around that. I don't know if the law has changed, but there used to be a federal reg that denied HOA and condo boards the ability to prohibit satellite dishes for the same reasons you're talking about. (An ex-wife used to work in the industry.) You might want to check on that. Just because your building says you can't have a dish doesn't mean they're acting legally.</p>
<p>The movie theater example has nothing to do with breaking up the monopoly. The problem there is the virtual monopoly created by the merging of many movie chains into a few. This is much the same as the AT&T breakup, though the effects on pricing there have since been leavened by access to cell and internet phone services.</p> Explain what, Susan? You don'…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3487542012-07-06T13:07:51.016ZNeil Nyrenhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/NeilNyren
<p>Explain what, Susan? You don't feel he's as good as he used to be, so you're moving on to other writers. Obviously, a lot of readers feel he's doing just fine, so they continue to buy his books. It's just a matter of personal preference.</p>
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<p>I like Furst and Steinhauer, too, and they're both developing significant audiences. Furst's latest big is a substantial bestseller, and Steinhauer's latest only just missed the list.</p>
<p>Explain what, Susan? You don't feel he's as good as he used to be, so you're moving on to other writers. Obviously, a lot of readers feel he's doing just fine, so they continue to buy his books. It's just a matter of personal preference.</p>
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<p>I like Furst and Steinhauer, too, and they're both developing significant audiences. Furst's latest big is a substantial bestseller, and Steinhauer's latest only just missed the list.</p> I just used those writers as…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3487532012-07-06T13:02:17.320ZNeil Nyrenhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/NeilNyren
<p>I just used those writers as examples -- I could have named plenty of others who, yes, get grooming and investment and patience. I'm sorry you don't feel you were well-treated, I.J. -- but that doesn't mean it's a universal experience.</p>
<p>I just used those writers as examples -- I could have named plenty of others who, yes, get grooming and investment and patience. I'm sorry you don't feel you were well-treated, I.J. -- but that doesn't mean it's a universal experience.</p> Most U.S. utilities -- water,…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3487522012-07-06T10:16:12.197ZJack Getzehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JGetze
<p>Most U.S. utilities -- water, electric and gas -- are regulated by state utility boards. Prices increases must be approved. Computers not so much.</p>
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<p>Most U.S. utilities -- water, electric and gas -- are regulated by state utility boards. Prices increases must be approved. Computers not so much.</p>
<p></p> I know a lot of people who th…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3485602012-07-06T01:38:05.735ZCammy May Hunnicutthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CammyMayHunnicutt
<p>I know a lot of people who think it's a real possibility. By extrapolation.</p>
<p>But I'm sure sick of discussing it. </p>
<p>Please dump the Nazi's in with the devil and ignore them.</p>
<p>I'm sure they'll be happier, as well as everybody else.</p>
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<p>I know a lot of people who think it's a real possibility. By extrapolation.</p>
<p>But I'm sure sick of discussing it. </p>
<p>Please dump the Nazi's in with the devil and ignore them.</p>
<p>I'm sure they'll be happier, as well as everybody else.</p>
<p></p> Cammy, get real! You said: I…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3485592012-07-06T00:34:24.392ZSusanhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Susan
<p>Cammy, get real! You said: I'm having a hard time understanding why voicing concern about where it might be headed gets taken as saying they aren't a good place to publish and a good thing for authors.>></p>
<p>Could it be because you compare Amazon to the Third Reich (let's see how many millions of actual PEOPLE did they kill?)</p>
<p>Amazon is in business to make money. So is Smashwords. So is Nook/B&N. </p>
<p>Amazon is a retail sales outlet. They deliver the goods to people…</p>
<p>Cammy, get real! You said: I'm having a hard time understanding why voicing concern about where it might be headed gets taken as saying they aren't a good place to publish and a good thing for authors.>></p>
<p>Could it be because you compare Amazon to the Third Reich (let's see how many millions of actual PEOPLE did they kill?)</p>
<p>Amazon is in business to make money. So is Smashwords. So is Nook/B&N. </p>
<p>Amazon is a retail sales outlet. They deliver the goods to people who buy from them. If they weren't making a profit they wouldn't stay in business.</p>
<p>Yes, Amazon has also entered the publishing sphere. Create Space is their POD entity. They also have established a more traditionally based publishing arm. This is new and it's not clear to me (or anyone else) how it will fare in terms of making money for Amazon.</p>
<p>But I don't think anyone will even come close to predicting that quoting you here</p>
<p>see them as having potential to become the only company that publishes anything.>> That just isn't going to happen.</p>
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<p></p> Well, I guess nobody can back…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-07-06:537324:Comment:3486522012-07-06T00:23:16.300ZCammy May Hunnicutthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CammyMayHunnicutt
<p>Well, I guess nobody can back up predictions. And I didn;t really make any. Just said I was worried about it.</p>
<p>No, nobody forces you to publish with them. But it's like Microsoft. If you don't. what are you going to do? </p>
<p>Actually, I don't think they're driving little bookstores out. They may be driving big bookstores out. But I think what they really want to do is drive Nook and Smashwords out.</p>
<p>And see them as having potential to become the only company that…</p>
<p>Well, I guess nobody can back up predictions. And I didn;t really make any. Just said I was worried about it.</p>
<p>No, nobody forces you to publish with them. But it's like Microsoft. If you don't. what are you going to do? </p>
<p>Actually, I don't think they're driving little bookstores out. They may be driving big bookstores out. But I think what they really want to do is drive Nook and Smashwords out.</p>
<p>And see them as having potential to become the only company that publishes anything. They're already the only really practical place for people like you and I to publish.</p>
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<p>I'm having a hard time understanding why voicing concern about where it might be headed gets taken as saying they aren't a good place to publish and a good thing for authors.</p>
<p>And it seems nobody likes any analogies that I use.</p>
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<p>The funny thing is, I just came off a discussion on LInked In where somebody was all over me because they see independent publishing as a threat and I'm all wet for saying publishing on Kindle and CreateSpace shouldn't be "filtered".</p>
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<p>So, I'm not going to say anything about this any more. I'm not very experienced at it anyway, just looking and thinking out loud.</p>
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<p>But don't come crying to me when Bezos' stormtroopers come drag you out of your attic and stamp your forehead.</p>
<p>(I can't leave you all with NOTHING to get on me about, can I?)</p>