Newsline...

Chuck D, Steve Winwood, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart and Jason Mraz are among 22 recording artists who on March 1 asked the Supreme Court to affirm that the operators of the "decentralized" peer-to-peer services Grokster and Morpheus are not liable for users who illegally trade music, movies and software on their systems.

The artists signed onto an amicus (friend of the court) brief developed by such pro-Internet and alternative music companies as Sovereign Artists and the Jun Group. Other artists who signed the brief include Janis Ian, Sananda Maitreya (formerly known as Terence Trent D'Arby) Michael Franti and Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky). BILL HOLLAND



Warner Music International has promoted London-based executive VP Gero Caccia to COO. In his new role, Caccia will have increased worldwide day-to-day management duties. He will oversee Warner's affiliates across territories including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain and Scandinavia, all of which will report to him. He will also oversee legal and corporate, finance and new businesses. He reports to WMI chairman/CEO Paul-Rene Albertini. Caccia joined WMI in 1985 as financial director for Warner Music Italy. LARS BRANDLE



Clear Channel Radio has signed a deal with Vancouver-based Musicrypt, which has developed a secure Web-based, digital music distribution technology called Digital Media Distribution System. The digital file-transfer system sends broadcast-quality music tracks, coupled with related promotional materials, directly to authorized media outlets and is available any time of day.

Musicrypt entered an exclusive partnership with Billboard Radio Monitor in December to market and promote DMDS in the United States following its success in Canada. CHUCK TAYLOR



Immediatek, parent company of live-concert CD specialist DiscLive, has inked a deal to produce collectible CDs for AEG-TV, a creator and distributor of pay-per-view TV programming and cinema premiere experiences. Under the multishow/multitour agreement, DiscLive will be the preferred vendor for AEG events.

John Rubey, CEO of AEG-TV, says the companies are planning for a minimum of six major tours and/or live broadcasts per year. The date of the first joint event series has not been determined.

AEG-TV is an affiliate of sports and entertainment firm Anschutz Entertainment Group. BRIAN GARRITY



XM Satellite Radio is raising its monthly subscription rate by 30%, to $12.95. XM says it has 3.2 million subscribers and predicts it will eclipse the 20 million mark by 2010. As XM's shares rose on the news, Sirius Satellite Radio stock also caught the wave since the rate increase means both services will have the same monthly fee. PAUL BOND, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER



EMI Music Publishing has named Leo Corbett executive VP/CFO. Corbett, who is based in New York, will oversee the company's global financial and technological operations. He reports to worldwide president/COO Roger Faxon. Corbett joins EMI Music Publishing from venture capital firm Zephyr Management, where he was managing director. CAROLYN HORWITZ



The Agency Group has promoted Jan Sikorski to COO and Paurooshasp Perry to CFO. Both are based in the United Kingdom and report to TAG worldwide CEO Neil Warnock.

Sikorski has been with the company for 30 years, most recently as CFO. Perry, who joined TAG in 2001, was financial controller.

TAG also recently promoted Steve Herman to CEO of North America. He was previously president of Canadian operations. JILL KIPNIS



Veteran U.K. promoter Rob Hallett has been named senior VP of international for AEG Live. Hallett comes to AEG Live from the Mean Fiddler Group, where he was head of music and board director. In the newly created position, Hallett will oversee the development and implementation of AEG Live's international business strategies. He will also handle day-to-day supervision of all international touring activities for AEG Live, including talent acquisition, booking, promotion and tour publicity. Hallett will be based in AEG Live's recently opened headquarters in London. RAY WADDELL



Warner Music Latina has signed a distribution and upstreaming agreement with Texas-based Dope House Records, whose roster includes such Latin hip-hop acts as Baby Bash and Juan Gotti. The first album under the new agreement will be Gotti's new release, slated for April. LEILA COBO