While saying he was concerned about two key principals involved in the Wylie affair, Penguin Group chairman John Makinson called for some perspective on the matter. He noted that the titles in question—backlist books for which it is unclear who owns digital rights—constitute “a very small percentage” of Penguin’s total revenue. He said the establishment of Odyssey Editions was an important event to follow, but said “I don’t think it’s a cosmic issue. We will continue to talk to the Wylie Agency and we will continue to talk to our authors about what is best for them,” Makinson said.
Still, Makinson said he was “not happy” about the decision to sell Odyssey e-books solely through Amazon. “It’s best for authors when their books are available through all channels,” Makinson said. The dispute also re-emphasizes for Makinson the importance of Penguin’s position to not separate print and digital rights. “We want print and digital rights on all titles we buy,” Makinson said.
