Napster given right to explore who owns the music
Napster Inc. can investigate whether the five major labels own the rights to songs they say the music-swapping service infringes, a judge ruled yesterday after settlement talks in the case broke down. U.S. District Judge Marilyn Patel last month postponed Napster’s pursuit of the issue after the company and the Recording Industry Association of America, which represents AOL Time Warner Inc., Sony Corp., Bertelsmann AG, EMI Group PLC and Vivendi Universal, asked for 30 days of settlement discussions. “That stay has now ended, and the parties have advised the court that they are unable to resolve their disputes,” Patel wrote… Read more »