Two Music Publishers Suing Cox Over Piracy

Two music publishers are taking aim at a new target in the battle against illegal song downloading: the cable industry. BMG Rights Management LLC and Round Hill Music LP sued cable giant Cox Communications, claiming that Cox, which provides Internet service to millions, is deliberately turning a blind eye to illegal downloading by its subscribers. Such behavior violates federal copyright law, claim BMG and Round Hill, each of which controls the publishing rights to a number of well-known artists. BMG, owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann SE, controls rights to songs by David Bowie, Johnny Cash and Lenny Kravitz, among others.