Thursday, November 6, 2008

Google Settlement (again)

Radio National's Book Show this morning featured a discussion on the Google settlement with ABP Publisher Tim Coronel and media lawyer Nic Pullen.

The problem with the dicusssion was that both guests seem to think that the giant, thieving, rip-off merchant Google had somehow muscled in and secured a satanic victory against the poor little publishers and authors!!

THE OPPOSITE IS THE CASE!

Google caved. Capitulated. Paid out US$125m plus in order to get the license to continue scanning (and pay for it!), and will hand over 63% of ALL revenue from any commercial exploitation of the content including advertising revenue on display pages which publishers in their wildest dreams would never have thought possible!!

Fuck! Must we always perceive ourselves as victims?

1 comment:

Tricia On Tour said...

Hello Peter, I am finally getting around to adding your blog to my "Check Daily" list and have enjoyed browsing the back list as well. Thanks for the personal insights. As you may know I've 'swapped sides" and become a bookseller again and am really enjoying the world of books through Library eyes. A whole 'nother industry with much groupthink! Keep up the good work and if you ever get across to Adelaide, do call in and say hello.
Tricia Genat
patricia.genat@alslib.com.au
www.alslib.com.au