Quotes by Richard Sarnoff

“Well not participate on the basis of some small, incremental charge, ... We think digital text has real value and were not interested in making it just an adjunct to the print product.”

“We expect that they [Amazon] will be the first vendor. We havent signed any license or contract.”

“[The model calls for users to gain online access, though not to be able to copy or print the page. But] if consumers absolutely demand certain kinds of access, ... it would be important to provide that.”

“planting a flag, trying to establish some ground rules that we are comfortable with to create this new kind of commerce around book content.”

“[The Random House model calls for consumers to be able to buy access to a book for, say, 5 cents a page for most books and higher amounts, like 25 cents a page, for cookbooks and other specialty publications. It calls for users to gain online access, though not to be able to copy or print the page. But] if consumers absolutely demand certain kinds of access, ... it would be important to provide that.”

“We believe that it is important for publishers to be innovative in providing digital options for consumers to access our content.”

“Were offering a concrete business model with which we can go forward with vendor partners to allow readers access to the contents of our books in way that satisfies readers interest in sampling and discovery.”

“Weve been talking to multiple vendors, and evidently, our conversations with Amazon yielded some fruit, ... because they announced their own initiative on the heels of our announcement. We can now hope or expect them to be our fist vendor.”

“There has been a lot of tension among publishers about technology. But if you ask me if Id rather have someone watching television or someone surfing the Internet, Id prefer the Internet because it requires some form of reading.”