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One company dominates NZ’s live music scene – how do we encourage competition?

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · · 811 words · By Dave Carter; Jesse Austin-Stewart
Consumer Protection Market Monopoly Regulatory Reform
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The article discusses the implications of a US federal court finding that Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as a monopoly. It examines the company's market presence in New Zealand and suggests regulatory changes or local council mandates to increase competition in the ticketing industry.

Propaganda risk 20%
Claims checked 17
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center86%
Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

The recent United States federal court finding that music industry giant Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster acted as a monopoly and overcharged ticket buyers has resonated globally.

Why it matters

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have been highly successful in acquiring controlling interests in ticketing, festival and events businesses – raising questions about what the US verdict might mean for the local industry.

Common ground

The case dates back to 2024, when the US Department of Justice (under President Joe Biden) brought a lawsuit against Live Nation for “unfairly wielding its power over concert promotion, artist management, venue operations and ticketing services to shut out…

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

The article discusses the implications of a US federal court finding that Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as a monopoly. It examines the company's market presence in New Zealand and suggests regulatory changes or local council mandates to increase competition in the ticketing industry.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/one-company-dominates-nzs-live-music-scene-how-do-we…

analyticsAnalysis

20%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 17 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 7
check_circle Corroborated 6
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info Single Source 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
schedule
Claim 1: “Australian regulations already require disclosure of these “outside charges”.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 2: “Australian industry groups, promoters and the Green party called for an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Commission about the market power wielded by Live Nation and Ticketmaster.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Australian industry groups or the Green party calling for a Competition and Consumer Commission investigation.
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Claim 3: “The case dates back to 2024, when the US Department of Justice (under President Joe Biden) brought a lawsuit against Live Nation”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm the US Department of Justice filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. While the specific year '2024' is mentioned in the claim, the evidence confirms the DOJ's action against the companies for monopoly practices.
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web search NEUTRAL — The company has also faced scrutiny from the United States Department of Justice for retaliation against venues violating its 2010 10-year consent decree from the Live Nation merger, which has been ex…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticketmaster
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web search NEUTRAL — The Justice Department has filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, accusing the companies of running an illegal monopoly over live ev…
https://chicago.suntimes.com/music/2024/05/23/ticketmaster-l…
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web search NEUTRAL — The DOJ filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster on Thursday.We will defend against these baseless allegations, use this opportunity to shed light on the industry, and continue to p…
https://www.avclub.com/department-of-justice-filed-ticketmas…
schedule
Claim 4: “Live Nation’s 2026 annual report lists a chain of subsidiaries in New Zealand representing venues, festivals, promotion, artist management touring and ticketing”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 5: “Some performers, including The Cure and Olivia Dean, have openly criticised its ticketing practices.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny that The Cure and Olivia Dean criticized the practices.
schedule
Claim 6: “Ticketmaster... has agreements with councils across New Zealand (including Venues Wellington, Auckland Live, Venues Ōtautahi, Dunedin Venues and Rotorua Events and Venues) covering a majority of the country’s thousand-plus capacity venues.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 7: “the jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster had: “unlawfully acquired monopoly power and caused anti-competitive effects in multiple markets” including ticketing services to major concert venues”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (JDSupra, Attorney General Alan Wilson's reports) explicitly state the jury found they unlawfully acquired monopoly power and caused anti-competitive effects in ticketing services to major concert venues.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster unlawfully acquired monopoly power and caused anticompetitive effects in multiple markets, including: (i) primary ticketing services to MCVs, and (ii) …
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/live-nation-and-ticketmast…
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web search NEUTRAL — The jury today found Live Nation and Ticketmaster liable for violating federal and state laws by engaging in anticompetitive conduct. The jury found that Ticketmaster unlawfully maintains a monopoly i…
https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/attorney-general-…
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web search NEUTRAL — The jury found that Ticketmaster unlawfully maintains a monopoly in ticketing services at major concert venues, and that Live Nation holds a monopoly in the market for large amphitheaters, which it us…
https://culture.org/art-and-culture/music/live-nation-ticket…
schedule
Claim 8: “reporting by the Guardian in March showed Ticketmaster in the US offset losses from the banning of “surpise” booking fees by raising inside charges in other parts of the supply chain.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 9: “the department settled with Live Nation in the second week of the trial”
SINGLE SOURCE
One specific web result mentions that the department settled with Live Nation in the second week of the trial, but this is not corroborated by other independent news sources in the provided evidence.
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web search NEUTRAL — The United States Congress created the Justice Department in 1870, during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. Its functions originally date to 1789, when Congress created the office of the Attorney Ge…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Ju…
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web search NEUTRAL — In the wake of reported lobbying, the department settled with Live Nation in the second week of the trial, a decision criticised as a “slap on the wrist” and a “sweetheart deal”. However, 33 states in…
https://theconversation.com/one-company-dominates-nzs-live-m…
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web search NEUTRAL — Attorneys general for 39 states and the District of Columbia have joined the Justice Department as plaintiffs. In its complaint, the government argued that Live Nation maintains monopolies in a series…
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/arts/music/live-nation-mu…
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Claim 10: “United States federal court finding that music industry giant Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster acted as a monopoly and overcharged ticket buyers”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (Google News/Ben Sisario, and other web results) confirm that a federal jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster acted as a monopoly and overcharged ticket buyers.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Live Nation and Ticketmaster Illegally Monopolized Ticketing Market, Jury Finds. 5 hours ago. By Ben Sisario.Jury finds that Live Nation acted as a monopoly and overcharged ticket buyers.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…
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web search NEUTRAL — Ticketmaster apologised to Swifties after its system was overwhelmed by demand for tickets for the Eras tour. Live Nation, the entertainment giant which owns Ticketmaster, has been illegally operating…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyddyp19yyo
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web search NEUTRAL — Overcharging: The jury found that Ticketmaster overcharged customers by $1.72 on each ticket sold over a period of several years at major concert venues throughout the country. Next Steps — Remedies.
https://www.manatt.com/insights/newsletters/client-alert/fed…
schedule
Claim 11: “Last year, Consumer NZ collected 10,000 signatures on a petition asking for greater transparency of ticket prices through changes to the Fair Trading Act.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 12: “the jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster had: unlawfully tied artist promotion services to the artists hiring large venues”
CORROBORATED
Evidence from web search results indicates the jury found Live Nation used its monopoly in large amphitheaters to require artists to use its event promotion services.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Most trial juries are "petit juries", and consist of up to 15 people. Primarily in the United States, a larger jury known as a grand jury is used to investigate potential crimes and render indictments…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury
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web search NEUTRAL — Justice For All: Jury Service features judges, academics, and former jurors explaining what to expect when called to jury service, including the jury selection process, the trial, and jury deliberatio…
https://courts.ca.gov/courts/jury-service
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web search NEUTRAL — May 10, 2026 · The meaning of JURY is a body of persons sworn to give a verdict on some matter submitted to them; especially : a body of persons legally selected and sworn to inquire into any matter o…
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jury
schedule
Claim 13: “Ticketmaster, which also owns Australian company Moshtix”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 14: “the jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster had: harmed competition, resulting in an increase in ticket prices for audiences”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the jury found the companies harmed competition and specifically overcharged consumers (citing a figure of $1.72 per ticket).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jury finds that Ticketmaster and Live Nation had an anticompetitive monopoly over big concert venues.A jury has ruled that Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster acted illegally, mo…
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…
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web search NEUTRAL — The verdict could cost Live Nation and Ticketmaster hundreds of millions of dollars, just for the $1.72 per ticket that the jury found Ticketmaster had overcharged consumers in 22 states. The companie…
https://www.cpr.org/2026/04/15/ticketmaster-live-nation-mono…
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web search NEUTRAL — Ticketmaster owners Live Nation may have to divest the ticket-selling site. A US jury has found that entertainment giant Live Nation wielded monopoly power at its Ticketmaster business, violating fede…
https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0415/1568464-ticketmaster-liven…
schedule
Claim 15: “Fix The Tix, a US fan and music industry advocacy group, is lobbying for legislation that would require full itemisation of ticket fees and charges, price and fee caps on resold tickets, with strong civil penalties for breaches.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 16: “33 states involved in the lawsuit elected to continue”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that a coalition of states (specifically mentioned as 33 states in one source and 27+ in others) elected to continue the lawsuit despite the DOJ settlement.
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web search NEUTRAL — Live Nation close to settling US antitrust suit without Ticketmaster sale, Bloomberg News reports. Yesterday.MA to continue lawsuit against Live Nation even after settlement.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…
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web search NEUTRAL — Live Nation has settled with the Justice Department, but more than 25 states have disclosed plans to continue litigating against the Ticketmaster parent. Several of those states’ attorneys general con…
https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/03/09/live-nation-stat…
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web search NEUTRAL — Massachusetts and 26 Other States Will Continue to Pursue Case in Court to Protect Consumers, Venues and Artists. For immediate releaseThe DOJ settlement allows Live Nation to retain a compliance moni…
https://www.mass.gov/news/ag-campbell-vows-to-continue-antit…
verified
Claim 17: “The origins of this go back to 2009, when Ticketmaster (established in 1976) and newcomer Live Nation were allowed to merge, forming Live Nation Entertainment.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia confirms Live Nation Entertainment was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster (the merger process began/was approved around 2009-2010).
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web search NEUTRAL — Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American multinational entertainment company that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Nation_Entertainment
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web search NEUTRAL — The Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger is the time to reverse this laissez-faire approach to vertical mergers. Vertical merger policy is set out in the 1984 Merger Guidelines, which describe several theo…
https://www.americanprogressaction.org/article/the-ticketmas…
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web search NEUTRAL — Ticketmaster & Live Nation Merge To Form Live Nation Entertainment. The Department of Justice has approved the Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger.For more on Live Nation Entertainment, including a few re…
https://www.jambase.com/article/ticketmaster-live-nation-mer…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.