| Original Message |
lilly
Posted Jan 18, 2003 8:02 AM
Maybe all?
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20030107/living/3296.shtml
The Olympian, Olympia, Washington
Tuesday, January 7, 2003
$143 Million Cd Industry Settlement Going Largely Unclaimed
http://www.musiccdsettlement.com/
"OLYMPIA - Suppose someone was handing out $20 bills and almost nobody
wanted one? That's roughly what's happening with a massive price-fixing
settlement involving states and compact disc companies. The deal calls
for payments of as much as $20 for customers who bought CDs between 1995
and 2000. But so far, only a few people have signed up, and officials
fear the money will go begging. In September, the five top U.S.
distributors of compact discs and three large music retailers agreed to
pay $143 million in cash and CDs to settle allegations they cheated
consumers by fixing prices. Part of the settlement - about $44 million
in cash - is earmarked to pay customers from $5 to $20. By the end of
December, only about 30,000 people nationwide had applied for a piece of
the pie, a tiny fraction of the number the settlement could handle. No
figure was available for just Washington state. "The response thus far
has been fairly abysmal," said Washington Attorney General Christine
Gregoire, who's tried going on morning radio shows to promote the
settlement. "I just want to make sure that Washington consumers get
what they're entitled to receive." Gregoire was among the attorneys
general of 41 states and commonwealths who accused record companies of
conspiring with music distributors to boost the prices of CDs. The
companies settled rather than endure a costly legal battle. Anyone who
bought a CD, cassette tape or vinyl record at a retail store between
1995 and 2000 is eligible. The window for applying doesn't close until
March 3.
The settlement's Web site (http://www.musiccdsettlement.com) has been up
for a month, and legal notices have been published in TV Guide, Parade
and other national magazines, but the response rate has been very low,
said Tina Kondo, a senior assistant attorney general in Gregoire's
office. "I guess people don't like to read legal notices," Kondo said."
(from DC's Actions List)
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