TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Judge Tentatively OKs Sony BMG Settlement

Judge Tentatively OKs Sony BMG Settlement

Monty Solomon (monty@roscom.com)
Fri, 6 Jan 2006 23:01:38 -0500

NEW YORK (AP) -- A judge Friday tentatively approved a proposed
settlement of lawsuits against Sony BMG Music Entertainment that would
give millions of consumers free music downloads to compensate them for
flawed software on CDs.

U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald gave her approval after a
hearing in which lawyers explained the deal that requires the world's
second-largest music label to stop manufacturing compact discs
software that can leave computers vulnerable to hackers.

The settlement pertained to lawsuits alleging that the vulnerabilities
were created by MediaMax software or with extended copy protection or
XCP software.

According to terms of the settlement, Sony BMG will let consumers who
bought the CDs receive replacement discs without the anti-piracy
technology and will let them choose one of two incentive packages.

The first package lets consumers who bought XCP CDs to obtain a cash
payment of $7.50 and a promotion code allowing them to download one
additional album from a list of more than 200 titles.

The second package permits them to download three additional albums
from the list. The court papers said Sony BMG would try to offer Apple
Computer Inc.'s iTunes as one of the download services available to
the consumers.

Those who purchased MediaMax CDs would receive additional compensation
to allow them to download non-content protected versions of music on
their MediaMax CDs and to download one additional album.

- http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=54533786

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