Universal nets $20m after in-flight entertainment copyright row
A provider of in-flight entertainment on American Airlines has agreed to pay Universal Music Group $20 million following a two-year copyright battle.
Universal sued Global Eagle Entertainment at the US District Court for the Central District of California in May 2014.
Universal claimed that the company infringed more than 4,000 of its songs, including by Taylor Swift and The Beatles, through its on-demand music platform used on board its flights.
The settlement was confirmed in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, published on August 9.
In addition to the settlement payment Global Eagle must also issue 1,360,544 shares of its common stock to Universal.
If at any time the closing price of Global Eagle’s common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market exceeds $10.00 per share, Universal will then gain an additional 500,000 shares.
If the share price exceeds $12.00 per share, Universal will receive a further 400,000 shares.
American Airlines was not sued and is therefore not part of the settlement.
