*giggle*   What's good for the goose is great for the gander.

-rick
Infowarrior.org


EMI to Face Spitzer Music Industry Probe
By REUTERS

Filed at 5:04 p.m. ET

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - EMI Group PLC (EMI.L), the world's third-largest
music company, on Friday said it and other music companies faced a New York
probe into how music companies influence what songs are played on the radio.

``We are cooperating fully with this inquiry, which is at a preliminary
stage,'' EMI said in a statement.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who has already taken on the
investment banking, mutual funds and insurance sectors, has served subpoenas
against Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI and Warner
Music, sources familiar with the matter said, confirming a report in the New
York Times.

A New York Attorney General spokeswoman declined to comment. Warner Music
and Sony BMG declined to comment. A spokesman for the Universal Music Group
was not immediately reachable.

EMI, the only publicly traded, stand-alone music company among the four
majors, closed down three pence at 217p, having earlier hit a low of
208-1/2p.

The investigation, which several sources said was still in the
``preliminary'' stages and may yet lead to no official charges, started in
September.

Spitzer has requested information on the companies' relationships with
independent promoters who serve as middlemen between music companies and
radio stations, one source familiar with the matter said, confirming
reports.

The investigation revisits a decades-old practice of employing middlemen to
sidestep U.S. laws restricting the bribing of broadcasters to air particular
songs without disclosing this to listeners.

< snip >

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-media-emi-spitzer.html?oref
=login&pagewanted=print&position=


You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit 
www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message 
may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights 
appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.

Reply via email to