Sony, others named in video tape price-fixing scheme
Seems we can't have a month go by without another industry-wide price fixing scandal. Today's cartel was bent on fixing the prices of professional-grade video tapes used in television. An infamous list of swindles which includes DRAM, LCDs, and online-music just to name a few. While the EU regulators citied "several companies," only Sony would confirm that they were charged with the crime. Fingers are also wagging in the direction of Panasonic, Fujifilm, Hitachi Maxell and TDK but all declined to comment on the matter. So innocent until proven guilty, mkay. The EU's charges are based on raids it made in 2002 as well as information received since, under a leniency program. Companies now have two months to respond. If guilty, companies could be fined as much as 10% of their annual global sales. Oh my.
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TVGenius @ Mar 21st 2007 10:27AM
What are we talking here, DVCAM, Beta, DigiBeta....?
franzbonus @ Mar 21st 2007 11:07AM
Why do I feel a sudden urge to grip my baseball bat when I see this article's picture?
sane @ Mar 21st 2007 11:57AM
been on telly have we?
KC @ Mar 21st 2007 11:57AM
Bah. They should go for the oil companies instead of video tape companies. What a waste of tax payer money.
Xavier Gill @ Mar 21st 2007 12:17PM
Man these guys only get caught in Europe, America is so corrupt.
Brian @ Mar 22nd 2007 5:04AM
Dumb.
Coluch @ Mar 21st 2007 1:48PM
Wow. This is huge.
I know of some large broadcasters that have bought BetaSP in bulk and drilled holes in the bottom of the cassettes so they could be used as DigiBeta. Why? Because the prices are astronomical.
If indeed there is price fixing (which it seems obvious that there is), there are untold billions of dollars involved.
KC @ Mar 21st 2007 5:47PM
Actually, the article did not say if the prices were fixed high. Maybe they are being dragged into court for fixing the prices too low to stop other companies from being able to compete?
c da @ Mar 21st 2007 10:43PM
Prices to low: predatory pricing.
Prices to high: unfair monopoly.
Prices the same as everyone else: collusion.
c da @ Mar 21st 2007 10:45PM
...you can't win...
spacelunatic @ Mar 25th 2007 12:51PM
Seems we can't have a month go by without another SONY scandal!