Quote:
Originally Posted by DMcCunney
There was an earlier dispute about stuff like this between RandomHouse and ebook publisher Rosetta. RandomHouse sued to block Rosetta from releasing 8 titles.
RH had the rights to the paper editions, and claimed they had the ebook rights as well. The contracts on which the rights were based had been signed back before ebooks were even a gleam in anyone's eyes, and a judge decided they did not cover electronic editions.
If RH is disputing this, I don't see them getting far.
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Dennis
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Correct.
When Covey made the same move last December the print publisher made similar comment. Six months later, still no legal action.
The judge in the Rosetta case was pretty clear that an author could hardly have given away ebook rights in a contract signed before tthere were commercial ebooks. The only straw they have to grasp onto is a vague non-compete clause originally intended to limit taking print rights to another publisher. And non-compete clause are generally interpreted very tightly when upheld which isn't often.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/p...-e-books-.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/bu.../13ebooks.html