Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates Amazon's Impact On Readers, Authors, And Industry At NYC's Kaufman Center, January 15

In the past year, Amazon's influence over readers, authors, and the book industry has been put into sharp focus. The online retail giant's public battle with publishing house Hachette recently wound down, but core questions remain about how to value books, Amazon's business practices, and the role of publishers. Amidst all the commotion, who is doing right by readers? On January 15, award-winning debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US) will take on these issues with a debate on the motion "Amazon Is the Reader's Friend."

At the debate, two pairings of a best-selling author with a widely-respected journalist will debate Amazon's role for readers and the industry. Is book publishing an oligopoly, a dinosaur in need of disruption? Is Amazon a monopoly? Who serves the best interests of the reader and the future of publishing?

Arguing for the motion:
* Joe Konrath, Author & Self-Publishing Pioneer
Best-selling author Joe Konrath was an early advocate of self-publishing who has sold over three million books, with three Amazon #1 best-sellers to his name. He's won the Love is Murder Award for best thriller twice, and has also won the Derringer Award and the Ellery Queen Readers Choice Award.
* Matthew Yglesias, Executive Editor, Vox
Before joining Ezra Klein to help found Vox in 2014, Matthew Yglesias worked for Slate, the Center for American Progress, Think Progress, The Atlantic, and The American Prospect. He won the Hillman Prize for his American Prospect blog and has written two books, The Rent is Too Damn High and Heads in the Sand.

Arguing against the motion:
* Franklin Foer, Former Editor, The New Republic
Franklin Foer edited The New Republic for eight years before the much-publicized staff changes there this fall. While there, he authored the New Republic cover story "Amazon Must Be Stopped."
* Scott Turow, Attorney & Author
Hachette author Scott Turow has sold over thirty million copies of his books. He was elected president of the Authors Guild in 2010 and has won awards including the Heartland Prize, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, and Time Magazine's Best Work of Fiction. He is the author of ten bestselling works of fiction, including Presumed Innocent, Innocent, and most recently, Identical, which was published by the Hachette imprint Grand Central Publishing

The debate will also stream live online, then air soon after as part of the syndicated NPR show "Intelligence Squared U.S." On January 15, online viewers can tune in here (http://bit.ly/1wSGpFi) or via IQ2's new app (http://shorefi.re/VTwKwx)

WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "Amazon Is the Reader's Friend"
WHEN: Thursday, January 15, 2014 / Reception 5:45-6:30 / Debate 6:45-8:30 PM
WHERE: Kaufman Center/129 W. 67th Street (bet. Broadway and Amsterdam)/New York, NY 10023
TICKETS: $40 ($12 for students w/ ID). To purchase, visit http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)
A non-partisan, nonprofit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to restore civility, reasoned analysis and constructive public discourse to today’s often biased media landscape. IQ2US reaches millions through multi-platform distribution, including radio, television, live streaming, podcasts and interactive digital content. It is one of the top 25 most popular podcasts on iTunes, and has won the 2014 Clarion Award for Radio Regular Feature Program and back-to-back 2013-2014 New York Festivals International Radio Awards for Best Public Affairs Program. The debates have attracted some of the world's top thinkers, including Malcolm Gladwell, Steven Forbes, Dr. Neal Barnard, Arianna Huffington, Paul Krugman, and Karl Rove. With close to 100 debates, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008. The executive producer is Dana Wolfe.

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