BMG settles Napster lawsuit for $130M

Media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG has settled a copyright infringement case by paying $130 million US to the National Music Publishers" Association, a trade association that represents more than 700 U.S. music publishers. The latest deal should end the four-year dispute between Bertelsmann and the music publishers. In the agreement, which still needs approval by a federal U.S. judge, BMG does not admit any wrongdoing. The NMPA joined other music publishers in a $17 billion US class action filed in 2003 against BMG, contending the company contributed to Napster"s copyright infringement of songs by being an original investor of the file-sharing service in the year 2000. The suit claimed BMG wanted "to preserve Napster"s user base for Bertelsmann"s own commercial advantage." BMG has already paid a reported total of $154 million US to Universal Music Group and EMI.

News source: CBC News

Report a problem with article
Next Article

Panasonic Reports Steady Demand for Plasma

Previous Article

Prank Starts 25 Years of Security Woes