Artistdirect Buys Anti-Piracy Firm MediaDefender
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Music website operator Artistdirect Inc. said Monday that it had purchased online anti-piracy firm MediaDefender Inc. for $42.5 million in cash.
The acquisition of MediaDefender, which uses technology to stymie unauthorized downloading of songs by flooding file-sharing networks with bogus tracks, is part of an ongoing restructuring plan by Los Angeles-based Artistdirect.
The company, which now operates a network of websites offering music news, CDs and other content, said it planned to apply MediaDefender’s anti-piracy technology in other media formats, including DVDs, video, computer games, software and electronic books.
Both firms will continue to operate under their brand names.
Randy Saaf, president and chief executive of MediaDefender, will remain at his post, and no layoffs are expected as a result of the transaction.
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