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Print This StoryOhioans To Receive CD Settlement Checks
Money To Be Distributed Next 2 Weeks
UPDATED: 11:24 am EST February 20,
2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- About 120,000 Ohioans who filed valid claims as part of a music CD price-fixing lawsuit will receive a check sometime in the next two weeks, according to Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro.
Each consumer will receive approximately $13.86. The second half of the settlement will be the distribution of CDs to organizations to promote music education. CDs will be distributed to organizations to further music-related programs or purposes reasonably targeted to benefit a substantial number of the purchasers of compact discs. An estimated 5.6 million CDs valued at $75 million will be distributed in the coming months. Ohio will receive approximately 222,000 CDs with a value of about $3 million.The class-action lawsuit alleged that music distributors and retailers illegally conspired to raise the price of prerecorded music products in violation of state and federal law."Retailers should not feel that 'anything goes' pricing is allowed," Petro said. "There are state and federal laws to protect consumers from being overcharged."Pre-recorded music buyers who registered a claim between December 2002 and March 2003 will receive a payment. As a result of a nationwide notification program intended to alert consumers of the settlement, approximately 3.5 million individuals filed claims prior to the deadline.Members of the settlement group included those who purchased pre-recorded music products (compact discs, cassettes and vinyl albums) from retailers during the period Jan. 1, 1995, through Dec. 22, 2000.The defendants, in agreeing to settle the lawsuit, have denied all allegations of wrongdoing. The distributors involved are: Capitol Records, Inc. d/b/a EMI Music Distribution, Virgin Records America, Inc., and Priority Records LLC; Time Warner, Inc., Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corp., WEA, Inc., Warner Music Group, Inc., Warner Bros. Records, Inc., Atlantic Recording Corporation, Elektra Entertainment Group, Inc., and Rhino Entertainment Company; Universal Music & Video Distribution Corporation, Universal Music Group, Inc., and UMG Recordings, Inc.; Bertelsmann Music Group, Inc. and BMG Music; and Sony Music Entertainment Inc. The retailers involved are: MTS, Inc. d/b/a Tower Records, Musicland Stores Corp., and Trans World Entertainment Corp.More Information:
Each consumer will receive approximately $13.86. The second half of the settlement will be the distribution of CDs to organizations to promote music education. CDs will be distributed to organizations to further music-related programs or purposes reasonably targeted to benefit a substantial number of the purchasers of compact discs. An estimated 5.6 million CDs valued at $75 million will be distributed in the coming months. Ohio will receive approximately 222,000 CDs with a value of about $3 million.The class-action lawsuit alleged that music distributors and retailers illegally conspired to raise the price of prerecorded music products in violation of state and federal law."Retailers should not feel that 'anything goes' pricing is allowed," Petro said. "There are state and federal laws to protect consumers from being overcharged."Pre-recorded music buyers who registered a claim between December 2002 and March 2003 will receive a payment. As a result of a nationwide notification program intended to alert consumers of the settlement, approximately 3.5 million individuals filed claims prior to the deadline.Members of the settlement group included those who purchased pre-recorded music products (compact discs, cassettes and vinyl albums) from retailers during the period Jan. 1, 1995, through Dec. 22, 2000.The defendants, in agreeing to settle the lawsuit, have denied all allegations of wrongdoing. The distributors involved are: Capitol Records, Inc. d/b/a EMI Music Distribution, Virgin Records America, Inc., and Priority Records LLC; Time Warner, Inc., Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corp., WEA, Inc., Warner Music Group, Inc., Warner Bros. Records, Inc., Atlantic Recording Corporation, Elektra Entertainment Group, Inc., and Rhino Entertainment Company; Universal Music & Video Distribution Corporation, Universal Music Group, Inc., and UMG Recordings, Inc.; Bertelsmann Music Group, Inc. and BMG Music; and Sony Music Entertainment Inc. The retailers involved are: MTS, Inc. d/b/a Tower Records, Musicland Stores Corp., and Trans World Entertainment Corp.More Information: Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
