Murdoch's Sunday Times faces $250,000 payout over Jimi Hendrix CD

[Turborama]

US companies linked with musician's estate win ruling that paper did not obtain proper copyright clearance for giveaway disc



Josh Halliday
guardian.co.uk, Friday August 6 2010 16.40 BST

Times Newspapers is understood to be facing damages of about $250,000 (£156,000) after losing a high court copyright infringement case over a Jimi Hendrix CD given away with the Sunday Times.

The Sunday Times covermount CD, given away in September 2006, featured 10 tracks from a live performance by the late rock guitarist's group The Jimi Hendrix Experience at London's Royal Albert Hall in February 1969, including Purple Haze, Sunshine of Your Love and Foxy Lady. US-born singer and guitarist Hendrix died aged 27 in London in 1970.

Two US companies associated with the Hendrix estate, Experience Hendrix and Last Experience, launched legal action three years ago claiming the newspaper, published by News International subsidiary Times Newspapers, did not obtain the proper copyright clearance for the giveaway.

Footage of Hendrix's 1969 London concert recording was due to be released as a film by the claimants, along with accompanying DVDs, CDs and merchandising, and two companies claimed that this had been delayed in part by the Sunday Times's free CD and the negative impact it would have on UK earnings.

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/06/sunday-times-jimi-hendrix-cd

[louis-t]

1. Repugs just think they own everything.

Very typical repuke behaviour.

[damntexdem]

2. Not nearly enough money.

It should be more like $250,000,000.

[Swagman]

3. Murdoch newspaper...publish and be damned, truth or lies.