My first rant.

I've read this article:

http://paidcontent.org/2012/04/10/big-six-publishers-refuse-to-sign-new-contracts-with-amazon/

and I've got myself all worked up - whether it's over nothing or not, time will tell, I'm sure.

As I can see it, the 'Big 6' are refusing to pay Amazon their asked for promotional fees. The thing is, like it or not, Amazon is one of the largest (if not by now the largest) market on the internet.
The 'Big 6' don't like having to pay to advertise their titles? Really? No, I mean REALLY? Well exactly how do they expect to get their titles promoted? By the good grace of a company that's in the business of selling for a profit? Would the 'Big 6' do that? I seriously doubt it.
I have an idea. Why not put all the titles published on a level playing field and see which ones get to the top of the best sellers lists. I concede that there would be still a large number of the 'Big 6's books up there but I would bet that there would be a lot more Indie works up there alongside them. Make the playing field level and let's see who sells what in what quantities.

The 'Big 6' complaining about prices for promoting their titles going up doesn't seem quite right to me, after all, you gets what you pays for, don'tcha?

I'm afraid that Amazon is calling the shots now because, right at the beginning, the 'Big 6' gave concessions to allow Amazon to get it's foot under the table and now it's not just a foot under the table, it's a great big hungry behemoth, all over the table.

'Big 6' - lookit! You may not have created the monster, but you certainly helped feed it.