YouTube has another lawsuit to worry about – albeit, a much smaller one than the cases it’s facing from Viacom (NYSE: VIA), Premier League et al. Frank Peterson, a German composer who has produced and is a former boyfriend of English operatic singer Sarah Brightman, filed suit in Hamburg’s higher district court, claiming infringement of his copyrights and master rights, Billboard reports.
Peterson also produced Enigma and has his own band Gregorian. says YouTube videos including his works have been viewed more than 125 million times but never paid for. Ordinarily, that would be barmy – artists receive recompense through their countries’ royalty collection societies. But Peterson says he never granted rights to Germany’s GEMA society, which, anyway, is in stalled negotiations with YouTube that have seen the site begin to block music from its site in Germany.
(Photo: jiazi, some rights reserved)