Universal's MP3.com Clone Loses in Court

erc writes: "According to this article, Universal Music Group's Farmclub.com online music service streamed songs without obtaining licenses from music publishers. According to the Court, Universal must obtain separate licenses for songs it wants to distribute over the net. Turn about, fair play!" Well, the courts are fairly consistent - if you don't have licenses from everyone and their brother, you can't play music online.

Comments

Interesting Tactics??

[numbsafari]

I wonder if Universal set up this company just so that it COULD be sued... by doing so that would have helped set a precedent in the courts against this kind of thing. IANAL, but I wonder if this sort of thing happens with cartels such as the RIAA... one of the cartel members sets up a small subsidiary and then another member of the cartel sues that subsidiary over some kind of infringement. The owner of the subsidiary puts up a fight.... but not much of a fight. A legal precedent is then set and all members of the cartel benefit... Maybe I'm just being paranoid....

Re:It's only but fair

[aozilla]

Radio stations have to pay to be able to air music. So do supermarkets, discotheques, or anyone that plays copyrighted music for large audiences. So, why should websites all of a sudden form an exception?

Radio stations have to pay, but they don't have to get a license. There is a statutory license provided to them. Why should websites all of a sudden form an exception?