Gnutella Forums - Price fixing on Music CDs slammed in court

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Price fixing on Music CDs slammed in court

From http://www.gnutella.com/news/5527 by Bill Evans, September 30, 2002:

Quote:

It was announced today that five of the largest U.S. distributors of pre-recorded music CDs and three large retailers agreed to pay millions of dollars in cash and free CDs as part of an agreement on price-fixing allegations.

The companies will pay $67,375,000 in cash, provide $75,500,000 worth of music CDs, and not engage in sales practices that allegedly led to artificially high retail prices for music CDs and reduced retail competition as part of the agreement.

The lawsuit and settlement demonstrate our commitment to halting corporate misconduct, Tennessee Attorney General Summers said. Such illegal activity causes our citizens to pay higher prices and distorts our free market economy.

Tennessee, along with 41 other states and three territories filed an antitrust lawsuit in federal court in August, 2000. The lawsuit alleged the five music distributors (including their affiliated labels) and three large music retailers entered into illegal conspiracies to raise the price of pre-recorded music to consumers. The defendants in the lawsuit are music distributors Bertelsmann Music Group, Inc., EMI Music Distribution, Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corporation, Sony Music Entertainment, Inc., Universal Music Group and national retail chains Transworld Entertainment Corporation, Tower Records, and Musicland Stores Corporation. The defendants deny these allegations.

Today's agreement calls for the defendants to change sales practices to ensure strong price competition among retailers. The companies will pay $67,375,000 in consumer compensation, charitable purposes, or some combination of both.

Notice of how to file a claim will be provided to the public at a later date. Finally, the defendants will provide approximately 7,000,000 music CDs (valued at $75,500,000) for distribution by the state attorneys general to not-for-profit corporations, charitable groups and governmental entities such as schools and libraries for the benefit of all consumers in each state.

Not to mention f-them those greedy music lables! What are they thinking?? Then to complain that they are losing money due to filesharing.

It's hard to feel sorry for the Music Industry . The folks who rob and cheat the very artists they owe their existance to. The incompetent ones who enjoy a success ratio in the single digits. The industry which breaks the law everyday with their "pay for play" system they use to control the public's air waves, ie:radio. Maybe Congress someday will have the backbone to do something about that.

Just noticed they have removed that news entry for some reason (perhaps an admin with saugage fingers?)

Anyway, this is national news, so you can find other sources. Here's some:

VH1.com
The Salt Lake Tribune
Financial Times
Entertainment Weekly
Denver Post

Boycott, Boycott!!!!!

I have been saying to everyone COYCOTT EVERY CD. for a year, to show this greasy gready basted, we are pissed and we are not going to take it anymore. THEY RIPPING OFF consumers and artists, and then they blame us (p2p) for sharing a couple of songs.
Oh.. by-the-way tha latest is that now the film industi is going to start a campain against p2p for "stealing" movies by sharing them.

Where's this BOYCOTT list? Sign me up!

Quote:

Originally posted by bpmax

There is no "list" of products to boycott. RBS's point is to boycott ALL sales period. I'm not sure it's gonna do a whole lot of good. Cuz I actually see evidence of the record companies taking things to heart recently. Take for instance... Epic records... selling off their hottest rock release in ages, Chev#lle... for $5.99 - $6.99US this coming week. I think they are beginning to realize that if prices were reasonable, us folks would not even be here on these programs and on these forums.

I, for instance, have all of the music already downloaded... but know that the quality of the CD will be so far superior, that I will be the first to stand in line tomorrow... now that I know what the whole album consists of by downloading lesser quality versions on Gnutella.

Another example of that the music industry should consider filesharing as a free advertising machine. Perhaps Epic does indeed see this... already knowing that opening week sales are going to be phenominal.

Prayer: May this be a sign that they are finally getting the hint!

Riiiight, bpmax.
Hopefull ALL of them will follow Epic. But, don't hold your breath. I think it is only a ploy because of the court case, I'm can not see this slimy gready ppl to change the style. Ontill they do, Boycott them all!!! I think everybody should start a campain of e-mailing RIIA, with so many e-mail that they computer can't handle and wright letter to them to express out anger and discusst over their price fixing and rip off of consumer.
Let me know WHAT YOU THINK.. and lets keep the presure on them (RIIA). And if you find an artist that expressing his/her discusst over RIIA lets suport him/her by helping them with advertisment on the net and by buying direct from them.
WE CAN EVEN SETUP AN WEBSITE WITH NAME AND E-MAIL ADDESS on where we can buy and where to send our e-mail.

Hey RealBigSwede,
Sounds like you really hate the RIAA! Did you have to shut down an internet radio station due to their Library of Congress victory?