New York Attorney General Begins Anti-Trust Probe of Music Pigopolists

[mandy]

It seemed only a matter of time before New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer turned his gaze of justice toward the online music download scene. And, as we learned last week via a regulatory filing from the Warner Music Group, Spitzer has in fact kicked off "an industry-wide investigation" into download pricing by handing out subpoenas to the major labels.

According to reports...Spitz the Blitz wants to see if the pigopolists violated any anti-trust laws with their online song pricing. Along with Warner Music, Sony BMG, EMI and Universal Music Group have received subpoenas.

full article: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/26/..._download/

Warner Music Group Corp. has been subpoenaed by the New York Attorney General in connection with an ongoing antitrust investigation into the pricing of digital music downloads, the company said in a securities filing on Friday.

Music industry sources said the current probe appeared to center on whether the Big Four music studios—Warner, Sony Corp's Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI Group and Vivendi's Universal Music—colluded to set wholesale pricing for song downloads.

full article: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1905338,00.asp

[mandy]

Update: the investigation into the music industry's music downloads price fixing has expanded from the state to the federal level.

Major labels accused of inflating cost of tracks
· Justice department move could prompt EU action

The US attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, has launched a wide-ranging investigation into allegations that record labels are fixing the prices of music downloads.

The department of justice inquiry centres on the activities of the four largest record labels: EMI, Sony BMG, Universal and Warner Music. Subpoenas are believed to have been issued to all parties, with federal officials understood to be focusing on whether the companies have been colluding to keep the price of downloads artificially high...

full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/stor...18,00.html