Pandora Settles Lawsuit Over Royalties for Robin Williams, George Lopez & More Comedy Routines
Pandora settled a lawsuit with comedians regarding royalties for streamed comedy routines, but will not alter its existing licensing structure.Summary
Pandora has reached a confidential settlement with nine comedians and their estates, including those of Robin Williams and George Carlin, in a dispute over royalties paid for streamed comedy sets. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, aimed to secure royalties for the underlying jokes themselves, similar to how musicians are paid for both recordings and publishing rights. However, Pandora maintains that the settlement does not grant the comedians past royalties or future licenses for spoken-word rights, affirming their existing licensing approach. A court-appointed special master had previously suggested Pandora had an “implied license” to the comedians’ written work due to years of streaming without protest. While the presiding judge encouraged settlement, the outcome ultimately preserves Pandora’s current royalty structure for comedy content, with both parties expressing satisfaction with the amicable resolution.
(Source：Billboard)