The Check's In the Mail
Published December 04, 2003
The payments to consumers in the MAP antitrust settlement against the major music distributors are finally going out in the next couple of weeks:
- PORTLAND, Maine - A federal judge approved a $143 million settlement Thursday of a lawsuit that accused major record companies and large music retailers of conspiring to set minimum music prices.
Under the settlement signed by U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby, 3.5 million people who signed on to an antitrust lawsuit are to receive shares of the award.
Checks for $12.60 are expected to be mailed out within a couple of weeks to the millions who mailed in claims and submitted them online.
After attorneys' fees, the actual cash payout is expected to be around $44 million. In addition, $75.7 million is to be distributed in the form of 5.6 million music CDs sent to libraries and schools throughout the nation.
The lawsuit, which was signed by the attorneys general of 43 states and territories and consolidated in Portland in October 2000, accused major record labels and large music retailers facing competition from discount retailers like Target and Wal-Mart of conspiring to set minimum music prices. [AP]
More on the case here and here. Don't spend your windfall all in one place.
- The Check's In the Mail
- Published: December 04, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Politics
- Filed Under: Music: News
- Writer: Eric Olsen
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you rebel
I would like to say you are welcome to all those getting checks. I didn't put my name in for the award, so you are reaping part of my reward. $12 is an insult to me seeing as I have about 800 CD's now. I should probably be paid anywhere from 1000-1500 for my damages thank you very much.
Exactly my thinking. If you claim one of those checks, you forfeit your right to any further settlements. Screw that.
I am not so worried about future settlements, but accepting a check feels like saying "it's all good" and frankly it's not.
Um, no, I don't think me claiming one of those checks forfeits my right to any further settlements. Having bought many multiples of the amount you have, Craig, I'm still owed and you can bet your ass I'll be taking any further settlement checks. This is a take it or leave it situation - if you pass it up, you pass it up, and doing so is only to suit your own moral superiority. If that makes you feel good, great, but I'm going to to take whatever I can get. I'll take the monetary superiority . . . and put it right back into some more music.
Well then I revert to my first comment.
You're welcome.
I seem to remember that when you signed up to collect one of those checks, there was something in there about forfeiting any future claims. At least that was how I read it.
Realistically, I don't expect to ever see any meaningful money from the record companies. The fact is, I've been trolling for bargains as relentlessly as they've been trying to fleece me. If they were winning the battle before, it seems to have had as much to do with the buying public letting them get away with it. That looks to be backfiring on the record companies now, which is how it should be.
In any case, I wasn't about to forfeit any options for a lousy twelve bucks.
Well, they weren't winning the battle with me, that's for sure. I'm the go-to guy when it comes to finding cheap CDs, either in stores or online. I'm like a cheap-music sniffing dog. If it's out there, I'll find it. I also highly doubt there will ever be another industry settlement. Take it where you can get it, measly it may be but you won't see it again.
Well then Tom, you're making off like a bandit. And with that kind of devotion to music, I say "more power to you".
Remember, guys, by not responding to this suit, you just confirm what the RIAA wants everyone to believe: that the prices are fair and people aren't complaining. If you signed up and get your tiny cut, you have at least voiced a dissenting opinion. If you didn't, you've just affirmed their stand, regardless of whether your moral standing was that this payout was so small it was meaningless to you personally. It wasn't to them. Something to chew on.
i can't wait to see what their explanation is when, after more & more lawsuits, downloading has not been reduced and cd sales still have not risen.
...or better yet, as the economy picks up (and downloading remains constant), cd sales DO pick up.
sales are up at least for the moment
Yeah, that was me. Tower had a couple of good sales recently and I stocked up.
The industry thanks you!
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i'm buyin' a copy of Metal Machine Music with mine.
(ok...i'm not getting any money...but if i did, that's were i'd spend it)