EMI sues Bertelsmann over Napster

NEWS EMI has joined the growing crowd of record companies trying to wring money out of the long-defunct Napster file-sharing service. The company's recorded music arm filed suit in New York last night, claiming that Bertelsmann's investment in Napster allowed the song-swapping service to continue its copyright infringing activities. EMI is also suing Napster's venture capital backers, Hummer Winblad. In both of these suits it is following in the trail of the world's largest music group, Universal Music, which started suing last month. But the first attempt to become 'the people who made money out of Napster' was made by a group of music publishers and songwriters, including the writers of Jailhouse Rock, which filed suit in February. Napster filed for bankruptcy last year having been closed down by constant legal pressure.