NEW YORK, April 24 (UPI) -- Bertlesmann agreed to pay U.S.-based Warner Music $110 million to settle claims surrounding the German media giant's role with Napster.
In a brief joint statement released in New York Tuesday, the companies said the settlement included no admission of wrongdoing by Bertlesmann.
Warner contended Bertlesmann profited from Napster back in 2000 and 2001 when the music downloading service was under fire from music companies for allegedly facilitating music piracy. The German company maintained it only invested in Napster after the music-sharing concern changed its practices to abide by copyright law, ZD Net reported on its Web site.
Bertlesmann also settled this year with EMI for an undisclosed amount and last year with Universal for more than $61 million.
Warner Music's record labels include: Asylum, Atlantic, Bad Boy, Cordless, East West, Elektra, Lava, Maverick, Nonesuch, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros. and Word.
