BRUSSELS/LONDON, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Musicians are likely to
win longer copyright protection of their work in Europe next
week, helping artists and record labels as music revenues
decline, and bringing Europe closer into line with the United
States.

Artists including Paul McCartney and Cliff Richard have led
a years-long campaign to extend music copyright in Europe, as
they faced the expiry of the 50-year copyright protection term
in their own lifetime.

LONDON (Reuters) – James Murdoch knew that phone-hacking at News Corp’s News of the World went beyond one “rogue” reporter more than three years ago, the company’s ex-chief UK legal counsel told British lawmakers Tuesday, contradicting repeated denials by Murdoch.

A committee investigating allegations that hacking occurred on an industrial scale and was covered up by senior executives was told that Rupert Murdoch’s son James had been made aware the practice was more widespread than thought but had failed to take any action.

LONDON (Reuters) – James Murdoch knew that phone-hacking at News Corp’s News of the World went beyond one “rogue” reporter more than three years ago, the company’s ex-chief UK legal counsel told British lawmakers on Tuesday, contradicting repeated denials by Murdoch.

A committee investigating allegations that hacking occurred on an industrial scale and was covered up by senior executives was told that Rupert Murdoch’s son James had been made aware the practice was more widespread than thought but had failed to take any action.

LONDON (Reuters) – News Corp did all it could to investigate a claim in 2007 that phone hacking was widespread at its News of the World tabloid before concluding there was no evidence to support it, a former human resources executive said on Tuesday.

Daniel Cloke, who was in charge of HR for News Corp’s News International UK newspaper arm at the time, said that ex-royal reporter Clive Goodman’s allegations had come as a complete surprise to him and to other executives.

LONDON/BERLIN, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Deutsche Telekom’s
(DTEGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) hopes of ending its chequered U.S. adventure with a
speedy $39 billion sale to AT&T (T.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) were dashed on Wednesday
when the U.S. government sued to block the deal.
[ID:nN1E77U0QO]

The German telecoms company for years was looking for a way
out of its T-Mobile USA business that had long ago ceased to be
a source of growth — and the AT&T deal, announced in March,
seemed like the answer to its prayers. [ID:nN20237333]

WASHINGTON, Aug 29 (Reuters) – Lawyers for Rupert
Murdoch’s News International are conducting a broad inquiry
into reporting practices at all of the company’s U.K.
newspapers, according to sources who have been briefed on the
probe.

As part of the inquiry, attorneys for Linklaters, the large
London law firm leading the investigation, will be looking for
anything that U.S. government investigators might be able to
construe as evidence the company violated American law,
particularly the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits
corrupt payments to foreign officials, a source familiar with
the investigation told Reuters.

EDINBURGH, Scotland (Reuters) – Google is “absolutely committed” to its fledgling television business and expects many more partners to join it soon, Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said on Saturday.

Google TV, which allows viewers to mix Web and television content on TV screens via a browser, has received lukewarm reviews and been blocked by the major U.S. networks since its launch in the United States in October.

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Google (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)
will launch its TV service in Europe early next year, Executive
Chairman Eric Schmidt said on Friday, despite teething problems
that had led some observers to question how committed the
company would remain to the project.

Google TV, which allows viewers to mix Web and television
content on a TV screen via a browser, was launched in the
United States in October but received mixed reviews and was
swiftly blocked by three of the top U.S. broadcast networks.

LONDON, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Google’s Eric Schmidt
faces a wary audience of British television professionals on
Friday following a major acquisition that could turn Google TV
into a real competitor for TV advertising dollars.

Google’s chairman will be the first person from outside the
TV industry to give the Edinburgh television festival’s keynote
MacTaggart lecture in its 35-year history.

LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) – Hopes Hewlett-Packard’s (HPQ.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)
$11.7 billion bid for Autonomy (AUTN.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) will be the first of
many in the European software industry could be misplaced
because Autonomy has an appeal that others cannot match.

Shares in European software makers jumped in a falling
market on Friday after news of the deal.