(18 October 2006 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: The world's largest recording company, Universal Music Group is charging the operators of two video-sharing Web sites for illegal downloading.

The company has filed lawsuits against Grouper Networks which operates Grouper.com, and Bolt which runs Bolt.com.

Grouper.com was recently acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment for $65 million. Media reports indicate that the suit charges that both grouper and Bolt.com had built traffic by encouraging users to share music videos from its artists without their permission. In one incident, it claimed a video for the Mariah Carey song “Shake it Off” was viewed more than 50,000 times on Grouper without the company’s permission.

Earlier Universal had threatened to sue YouTube. However later on the two parties signed a deal to distribute music videos. YouTube agreed to pay a small licensing fee for the material and to share associated advertising revenues. Universal says that prior to filing the suit had looked to reach licensing deals with both Grouper and Bolt.