CBS Settles Licensing Dispute Over Peanuts Music

has reached a formal licensing agreement with Lee Mendelson Film Productions to resolve a copyright dispute involving the unauthorized use of the Peanuts musical composition Linus and Lucy on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The settlement follows an on-air performance of the Vince Guaraldi track during the program's final broadcast, which prompted legal scrutiny from the California-based rights holder.

The mechanism of the dispute involved the unauthorized broadcast of copyrighted intellectual property within a commercial television environment. Lee Mendelson Film Productions, which manages the Peanuts catalog, has pursued a series of enforcement actions against various entities, including government agencies and commercial manufacturers, to mandate written licensing agreements. The financial terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, though the production company confirmed that all proceeds will be donated to the disaster-relief nonprofit World Central Kitchen.

This resolution concludes a period of litigation risk for the network regarding the broadcast. The agreement underscores the increasing rigor with which rights holders are monitoring commercial media for unlicensed musical usage. The donation to World Central Kitchen aligns with broader philanthropic efforts previously initiated by the program's production team.