[NOTD] News Of The Day - 07/08/2007

Rowling loses court photo fight

JK Rowling has been granted permission to appeal the decision Harry Potter author JK Rowling has lost a High Court action seeking to ban the publication of a picture of her son. The photo showed Rowling pushing David, who was 20 months old at the time, in a buggy on a street in Edinburgh. The author complained that David's right to privacy had been infringed and sought to prevent future publication. The judge said the law did not provide celebrities with "a press-free zone for their children in respect of absolutely everything they choose to do". The Sunday Express magazine had printed the photograph alongside an article about Rowling's approach to motherhood. Our aim has only been to protect our children from press intrusion during their childhood JK Rowling The writer sued Express Newspapers and the agency that supplied the photograph, Big Pictures (UK). The author - who filed the claim on behalf of her son under her married name Mrs Joanne Murray - sought damages and an injunction banning further publication of the photograph or any other picture taken of him without his consent. In a statement, Rowling said she and her husband Neil were "disappointed by the judgement, which seems to have misunderstood our claim". "Our aim has only been to protect our children from press intrusion during their childhood. "We see no legitimate reason why, as in this case, David, who was less than two years of age at the time, should have his photograph taken and then published in the press. "We take his, and that of his siblings, privacy and safety very seriously." 'Considerable sympathy' The author added that she intended to appeal against the ruling. Express Newspapers settled the claim and the judge, Mr Justice Patten, struck out the remaining proceedings against the picture agency. Big Pictures was awarded 40,000 interim costs against the Murrays pending the outcome of the appeal and a final costs assessment. The judge has imposed a temporary ban on publication of the picture pending the appeal. "I have considerable sympathy for the claimant's parents and anyone else who wishes to shield their children from intrusive media attention," Mr Justice Patten said. But he added that "an area of routine activity which, when conducted in a public place, carries no guarantee of privacy".

Source: BBC News

Amazon announces Harry Potter final figures

Source:ExecDigital August News

Date:07/08/2007 09:39:17

In the largest single-product distribution in Amazon.com's history, the online retailer brought "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" to millions of customers.

Amazon.com has announced final worldwide pre-order and customer savings numbers on the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

"I could barely sleep Friday night knowing that my copy of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' was coming on Saturday," says 10 year old Maddie C., Amazon.com Kid Correspondent of River Falls, WI. "It was so exciting to have the book delivered to my house the very first day it was out and start reading it. Now I finally know what happens to Harry and the rest of the gang."

As of midnight, July 20, Amazon.com received more than 2.2 million pre-orders of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" on its Web sites worldwide, surpassing the previous pre-order record of 1.5 million held by the sixth book in the epic Harry Potter series. In the U.S., Amazon.com received over 1.4 million pre-orders making the book the company's largest new product release ever.

Amazon.com delivered nearly 1.3 million copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" to the doorsteps of millions of Muggles across the country Saturday, July 21 - the first day the book was available to the public.

Amazon's U.S. fulfillment centers processed approximately 18 tons of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" per hour and shipped to more than 43,000 zip codes across the country.

On its busiest pre-order day, Amazon.com took more than 1.75 pre-orders of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" per second.

Source: Retail Digital

German Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book cover.

Source: Carlsen