In March, Jørn Lier Horst and Gyldendal were to meet in the Court of Appeal in the long-running dispute over audio book rights, but now the parties have agreed outside the courtroom.
CEO Arne Magnus in Gyldendal confirms to VG that the appeal case between Gyldendal and Lydbokforlaget against Jørn Lier Horst is lifted with a settlement.
He says that both parties are satisfied that the case has been closed and that they can now proceed.
– We have had a dialogue for some time where both parties were willing to try to reach a solution outside the judicial system. We are happy that we reached an agreement that both parties are happy with, says Arne Magnus to VG.
In April last year, the Oslo District Court granted Jørn Lier Horst right in termination of eight audiobook rights – titles that Gyldendal and Lydbokforlaget thought they still had the rights to.
The trial showed two parties who were far apart: Jørn Lier Horst called the publisher «Author-hostile» and Gyldendal’s lawyer accused Horst and his publisher of having one «Aggressive attitude».
Gyldendal and Lydbokforlaget appealed the case because they did not agree with the district court’s conclusion that Jørn Lier Horst could terminate the audiobook contract and take back his audiobook rights.
Now the publishers have turned around.
–CEO Arne Magnus in Gyldendal points out that after the case was appealed, a standard contract for sound that includes streaming was put in place, and that the fundamental questions in the case were thus clarified.
– It was therefore natural to make a new assessment, says Magnus.
In addition, this plays a major role in resolving the conflict:
Jørn Lier Horst’s current publisher, Bonnier, has bought the rights to all the books he has published in Gyldendal: These include a number of crime books in the series about Wisting and the children’s book series «Detective agency no. 2».
This has been Lier Horst’s wish ever since he left Gyldendal in 2018 and together with Petter Stordalen was involved in starting what was to become Strawberry Publishing – and which is now acquired by Swedish Bonnier.
– What made it possible to reach a settlement in the conflict is the agreement that Bonnier will now take over my entire author portfolio. It feels very good to have the books collected in one place, says Jørn Lier Horst to VG.
–– We have had a good dialogue, and I think all parties are satisfied. As I learned from Stordalen: One must always ensure that there are two winners in such agreements. But here there are actually three, because the big winner is the readers and listeners who get access to all my book titles in all channels, says Lier Horst.
He is very happy to be able to put the conflict behind him.
– It has been a demanding situation to stand on, so now I look forward to concentrating on what I am best at: writing books for young and old. I would also like to say that I have had good years at Gyldendal, and it is nice to part as friends, says Lier Horst.
He will not go into what sums have been exchanged in the settlement.
In the district court, the publisher was ordered to pay Jørn Lier Horst’s legal costs of a total of NOK 700,000. Gyldendal director Arne Magnus does not want to comment on the settlement in more detail, but the publisher confirms that the settlement covers all matters in the case, including the legal costs.
– We do not comment on other details in the agreement, but can state that we came up with a commercial solution that both parties are satisfied with, says Arne Magnus.
The parties will now inform the court that they have settled the case.
Jørn Lier Horst emphasizes that several author colleagues are in a similar conflict: The former Aschehoug authors Unni Lindell, Tom Egeland and Tom Kristensen.
– I now expect that they will get a similar solution with their publishers. For the verdict from the district court is banned – and it is about exactly the same thing: Termination of contracts.
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