The boss of US Spanish music outfit Univision Music is suing the firm's parent company, Univision Communications, over allegations they have breached the terms of the deal he did with them when the music operation was launched in 2001.
Jose Behar was headhunted from EMI Latin in 2001 to set up a music division at the Hispanic media firm. He says that part of the deal that brought him to Univision included a commitment to give him a stake in the company, and to support the growth of the company by providing free advertising on the firm's TV channel.
In the lawsuit Behar says that since 2005 Univision has slashed the amount of promotion given to the music division by its sister media companies, and prevented him from entering into more favourable long-term contracts with artists, both of which, he claims, has hindered the growth of the company and, therefore, his share in it. He also says the media firm has reneged on commitments made to him through their proposed sale of the music company.
Univision Communications put its music company up for sale earlier this year, and both Universal and Warner are said to be interested in acquiring it. It's not clear if Behar's lawsuit will hinder any sale in anyway.