Global Music Rights has announced a settlement has been reache in its multi-million dollar lawsuit against Lyndonville VT based Vermont Broadcast Associates for “the station group’s repeated and willful infringement of copyrighted songs licensed by GMR”.
GMR and VBA state “they are pleased to have reached an agreement, which includes a long-term GMR license entered into between the parties, as well as settlement of past alleged infringements”. Vermont Broadcast Associates owns seven stations in northeastern Vermont. In the lawsuit, GMR had stated that “Prior to filing the lawsuit, GMR repeatedly offered a license to VBA. When GMR received no response, GMR sent a cease-and-desist letter to VBA. VBA blatantly ignored the license offers and cease-and-desist letter and continued to knowingly play popular songs by GMR’s clients without a license. GMR’s outside counsel, O’Melveny & Myers, subsequently sent VBA infringement notices. VBA took no action to stop performing the GMR songs, settle its prior infringements, or enter into a license with GMR. Left with no other recourse, GMR filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against VBA this week to protect the rights of GMR’s songwriters and composers.”
GMR’s General Counsel, Emio Zizza, commented, “We are dedicated to protecting the rights of GMR songwriters and composers, and ensuring entities publicly performing their works are appropriately licensed. Through this lawsuit, we have accomplished those endeavors, and look forward to our go-forward licensing relationship with VBA.”
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com