Napster: 'You have three days to comply'

NEWS On the orders of Judge Marilyn Patel, the four major record labels involved in the ongoing dispute with the controversial site will provide a list of all material to be removed and the courts will then oversee Napster's adherence to the companies' requests. With the four major record labels, EMI, Sony, Warner and Universal, representing the vast majority of mainstream artists - with the exception of those represented by Napster-ally BMG - the site is likely to be left with a nominal percentage of the material it currently distributes. A more efficient way of performing the task in hand would probably be to give Napster the rather measly list of music it is still allowed to distribute and remove the rest. In related news, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), which stages the Grammy awards each year, is reportedly seeking millions of dollars in compensation after Napster users begun distributing copies of Elton John and US rapper Eminen's duet performed at last month's star-studded ceremony within hours of the show. Michael Greene, president of NARAS, told Reuters that the swapping of the performance on Napster may well prevent the recording - a version of Eminen's UK number one Stan - ever seeing a commercial release. And while Napster strikes another blow against the giant commercial record labels, the AIDS charities set to benefit from the song's profits will also lose out.