Authors’ misery: The Tipline for 3 August 2022

The Department of Justice turned to Stephen King yesterday to help convince a DC court to block Penguin Random House’s $2.1 billion acquisition of Simon & Schuster. King argued that further consolidation would weaken the book industry and noted the obstacles that authors face to earn a living. GCR USA has coverage of that trial as well as the DOJ’s challenge to UnitedHealth Group’s $13 billion acquisition of Change Healthcare. Also in Tipline, White House advisor Tim Wu gets ready to go back to school and Kanter expands his inner circle.