Bob Marley ringtone exodus from VZW proves brief

Hours after announcing it would remove a number of disputed Bob Marley ringtones from its digital catalog, Verizon Wireless reversed course late Thursday, placing the ringers back on sale. Last month, Verizon announced an agreement with Universal Music Group to release ringtones spotlighting the music of the late reggae icon. The Marley estate threatened a lawsuit to halt the deal, with Island Records founder Chris Blackwell (the Marley family's longtime spokesman) telling the New York Times: "We want to sustain Bob Marley's reputation, and [Universal has] done this without any permission from us, and we feel they're absolutely not entitled to do so." Yesterday afternoon, Verizon said it would delete all 28 UMG-owned Marley ringtones, prompting the Marley family to issue a statement that it would not drop its planned trademark infingement lawsuit because the operator had "ceded" to its demands. In the statement, Blackwell writes he was "infuriated that Verizon would go around the estate and initiate partnership with Universal" and that it was "disturbing that these companies refuse to give the musicians the respect they deserve."

According to the New York Times, Verizon balked at the language of the Marley/Blackwell release. "I was a little taken aback by the statement," Verizon spokesman James Gerace told the newspaper. "We had earlier this week decided to take the content down temporarily to give the Marley estate and Universal time to work out their differences. Now, in light of that statement, we'll be putting that content back up tomorrow." In addition, Universal announced that Verizon's exclusive rights to the Marley catalog will end, and ringtones will now be available to "all phone carriers." Blackwell said Universal will be named in another suit, to be filed within the next few weeks. "[The Verizon/Universal deal] was basically a subterfuge action," Blackwell told the NYT. "It is Universal who really are the major criminals in this thing because they actually licensed the songs without our permission." Universal said it was disappointed "the Marley estate has chosen to take such an extreme and meritless position that a customary promotional campaign highlighting the availability of Marley mastertones somehow constitutes an 'endorsement' of Verizon over all."

For more on the Verizon/Universal/Marley dispute:
- read this New York Times article

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