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
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