I signed up for the CD class-action settlement that was mentioned here about
a year ago, and received a check today for almost $14. It's not much
compared to how much I've spent on CDs, but it's better than nothing (didn't
think I'd get anything!).

If anyone's interested, here's the website
http://www.musiccdsettlement.com/english/default.htm

--
"Please do not judge me by your limitations."
- me

"mrdancer" <mrdancer@athotmail.com> wrote in message
news:qCs_b.663$iM6.220973121@newssvr11.news.prodig y.com...
Not to quibble, but it was more of an "Antitrust" lawsuit that resulted in
this settlement wasn't it? I think it's important for people to keep in
mind how the Big 5 Record Labels have consistently abused the "copyright
protections" that have allowed them to operate in such a reprehensible
manner.

Thanks for the update though, nice to see RIAA-members making good on at
least *part* of the judgement against them - another part, instructing them
to lower the Suggested Retail price of their products, I have yet to see
"trickle down" to the brick-and-mortar operations. Will that $14 buy even
*one* CD where you live? ;-{)

You might also consider yourself fortunate that more people didn't apply
for the kick-back, since there is this clause in the settlement I find
amusing: <quote>

"The cash paid by the Defendants, after the payment of attorneys' fees,
litigation and Settlement administration costs, shall be distributed to
consumers who purchased Music Products. The number of claims filed will
determine the actual amount of the individual refund but will not exceed
$20.00 per claimant. If the number of claims filed would result in refunds
of less than $5.00 per claimant, there will be no cash distribution to
individual consumers."
<end quote>

So...
If the number of people taken advantage of by "price-fixing" exceeds a
certain number, *nobody* gets paid? I would say that's a very good example
of the Recording Industry Accounting Aberrations. No wonder multi-million
selling artists can still find themselves in hock up to their Marshall
Amps. "Administrative costs" - calculated at "whatever can be gotten away
with" - ?

Also: <quote>

"The Defendants have agreed to pay a combination of cash and non-cash
consideration. Defendants' combined cash payments total $67,375,000. In
addition, Distributor Defendants will provide $75,700,000 worth of
prerecorded music compact discs."
<end quote>

Finally - a way to get rid of all those Metallica CDs that weren't selling
anyway... and not just because they were over-priced. ;-{)

- Loco -
(Now Playing: We're Not Gonna Take It - The Who)

"Loco Jones" <locojonesnet@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:c1dpei$1g6tt1$1@ID-83907.news.uni-berlin.de...
True. I don't know why I had 'class-action' on the brain. ;-)

Definitely not a new release! I think, overall, CD prices are a little
cheaper than they were, say, fifteen years ago, but that could easily be
attributed to reduced cost in manufacturing, overstocked media, glut in the
music industry, etc. I haven't seen any significant price drops in the last
few years, though.

Yep, it was a gamble, and I got lucky! You just never know how these things
are gonna work out.