A US District Court has ruled on a long running dispute between three of the US's big net outfits - AOL, Real and Yahoo - and publishing rights body ASCAP, regarding how much the web firms should pay the collecting society for the rights to play songs on their online music services - now decided at 2.5% of music-use-adjusted revenue" which could be according to US commentators a payment to ASCAP of a combined $100 million.

ASCAP chief Marilyn Bergman says "The Court's finding represents a major step toward proper valuation of the music contributions of songwriters, composers and publishers to these types of online businesses - many of which have built much of their success on the foundation of the creative works of others. It is critical that these organisations share a reasonable portion of their sizable revenues with those of us whose content attracts audiences and, ultimately, helps to make their businesses viable. This decision will go a long way toward protecting the ability of songwriters and composers, to be compensated fairly as the use of musical works online continues to grow".