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Universal Music Group reports an operating loss of 42 million euros ($48.27 million) for the six months to June 30 compared to a profit of 169 million euros ($194.2 million) in the same period last year. The company attributes the decline to the tepid global music market. Parent Vivendi Universal reports a loss of 632 million euros ($726 million) on revenue of 12.36 billion euros ($14.21 billion) for the half-year. This is in contrast to the 12.31 billion euros ($14.15 billion) it lost last year when revenue was 29.99 billion euros ($34.36 billion). SAMANTHA CHANG



By voice vote, the House Judiciary Committee Sept. 24 passed bipartisan legislation that would replace the much-criticized Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel with a more efficient full-time panel. The legislation calls for three administrative law judges, with one of them designated chief. The bill now goes to the House floor, where it is expected to be approved. BILL HOLLAND



Judge Louis J. Stanton has approved the license agreement between the Radio Music License Committee and performance-rights organization BMI. The parties agreed on blanket and per-program licenses for BMI repertoire in over-the-air broadcasts as well as a separate fee for RMLC members that simultaneously stream their programming on the Internet. The deal covers the 10-year period from 1997 to 2006. MARC SCHIFFMAN



Thirty-five members of the Nashville Songwriters Assn. International were on Capitol Hill Sept. 22-23 to discuss the devastating effect illegal music downloading has had on their careers. The songwriters met with 60 members of the Judiciary and Commerce Committees who deal with copyright and Internet issues. NSAI executive director Barton Herbison said the group supports a House bill introduced June 19 by Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, that calls on the Department of Justice to use its authority to educate the public on copyright infringement and crack down on infringers. Also in the House, some lawmakers are forming a Songwriters Caucus to monitor problems that U.S. tunesmiths face. Reps. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas; and Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., are on board. BILL HOLLAND



Producer Ric Wake and songwriter Denise Rich have amicably ended their 10-year-old joint venture W&R Music Group, which comprised the Notation Music, Connotation and Annotation music publishing companies and DV8 Records. Wake has paid an undisclosed amount for Rich's share of W&R and has assumed sole ownership, though Rich retains all songs written by her. Wake, who also serves as senior VP of A&R at Epic Records, says he will continue "W&R's reputation of seeking out and nurturing new talent." Rich says she will focus her songwriting and publishing business within her existing Denise Rich Songs, which is headed by David Munk. Rich says, "Our business plan is to enlarge the catalog. We intend to sign more writers and purchase additional catalogs. Both Ric and I have agreed to do business in the future, and I look forward to working with him." JIM BESSMAN