Music publishers wade into Limewire

NOW THAT the recording studios have broken peer-to-peer (P2P) filesharing outfit Limewire and are awaiting a huge unpayable payoff, music publishers have decided that they want a piece of the action.

According to Apple's favourite newspaper The New York Times, a coalition of eight music publishers has sued Limewire accusing it of copyright infringement.

The lawsuit has been organised by the National Music Publishers' Association and comes after a federal judge's ruling last month in a similar case brought by recording companies that Limewire and its creator, Mark Gorton, were liable for copyright infringement.

David Israelite, chief executive of the publishers' association, said his outfit had decided to bring the complaint because most publishers were not represented in the record company lawsuit.

Israelite said that he wants to sit at the table when it comes to talking about settlements. "We're looking for more than cessation of infringement, we're looking for damages for all of the infringement done over the years."

Limewire, which says it is trying to start a new paid subscription model, is still hoping it can negotiate a resolution with the companies that want to be paid.

Good luck with that. The music publishers say they will seek $150,000 for each song distributed on the service illegally. At that rate Limewire will end up having to pay enough to clear all third world debt.

It will not happen of course. Limewire will be shuttered and go bankrupt and only the lawyers will get any money. µ