Features
Pandora Settlement Near?
Pandora may be preparing to hand over a huge settlement in a lawsuit filed last year in New York State Supreme Court accusing the company of violating copyright protections by playing older songs without paying rights holders.
Sources reportedly close to the matter told the New York Post the internet radio company is planning to pay $60 million for the use of recordings through 2015, and another $30 million for use through 2016.
A spokeswoman declined to comment. Satellite radio company Sirius paid out $210 million this summer to resolve a similar suit regarding oldies music. Both Sirius and Pandora have argued in court that because federal copyright law covering master recordings didn’t begin until 1972, they don’t owe royalties for playing older music. But the legal climate began to change after a California judge ruled The Turtles, best known for singing “Happy Together,” were entitled to royalties in a suit against Sirius.
The band filed a similar suit against Pandora.