Hatch Seeks to Expand Musicians’ Web Rights

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) is drafting legislation that would let musicians who are already under contract with music labels to sell directly to consumers on the Internet, reducing revenue for record companies such as Bertelsmann and Vivendi Universal.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said he will work with Hatch, the committee’s highest-ranking Republican, on legislation to help Web sites that play music and to see that performers are paid for music sold online.