Live Aid to be released on DVD

The historic Live Aid concert is to be released on DVD after chief organiser Bob Geldof discovered pirate copies were being sold on the Internet.

Geldof hopes the classic DVD will raise “a few million pounds” during the planned release next Christmas, almost 20 years after the 1985 event.

Organised by the Boomtown Rats lead singer, Live Aid was held in London’s Wembley Stadium and the JFK Stadium, Philadelphia – six months after Do They Know It’s Christmas?, which raised £8m (€11.9m), was released.

The live 16-hour broadcast instantly raised £50m (€74.7m) – climbing to £80m (€119.5m) – for African famine victims.

Organisers have now decided to auction the rights to release the DVD of Live Aid, which has never come out on CD, video or DVD.

The successful bidder will have to get the permission of all performing artists, which included U2, Madonna and Sir Elton John.

Founding Band Aid trustee John Kennedy told BBC News Online: “We don’t expect any of them to be anything other than co-operative.”

He added that Geldof, who received an honorary knighthood in 1986 for his charity efforts, “sees it as an asset of the people of Ethiopia” that was not being fully utilised.

“It’s a surprise to all of us that we’re still here 20 years on spending and receiving money.

“But because of piracy, it’s becoming available without earning any money,” he said.

Geldof tipped police off after pirated DVDs were found on sale on the Internet for £110 (€164.30) for a 10-disc set.

Police raided a property in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, and arrested a man.