In what is probably a direct response to the Wiley Agent as Publisher news, Macmillan sent out an email over the weekend asking authors to amend their contracts to include ePub rights on backlist titles.
The big issue here doesn't seem to be that MacMillan has made a play to tie up the ePub backlist rights of several authors. The issue appears to be that they contacted the authors directly, circumventing the Agents and Attorneys of several. Hopefully not many authors will go for it without first consulting somebody knowledgeable.
http://www.teleread.com/2010/08/18/m...e-book-rights/