In Brief - RIAA
Topping the list of Recording Industry Association of America’s recent announced victories is a federal jury’s unprecedented $136 million damage award against Media Group and its former CEO. The verdict follows a bench ruling that the CD manufacturing plant and its former CEO, Jimmy Chan, were liable for copyright infringement. The size of the award arose from the jury’s damage calculation of $90,000 per infringed song. RIAA, representing 23 record companies, claimed that more than 1,500 works were infringed. Collection of the multi-million dollar award may be difficult in that Media Group filed bankruptcy prior to entry of the jury’s verdict. The RIAA also announced a $10.1 million settlement of copyright infringement claims by Toronto-based CD manufacturer Cinram International Inc., a $3.2 million settlement by CD manufacturer DOCdata USA and a $1 million settlement with Integrated Information Systems, Inc., a technology company one of whose internal servers allowed employees to retrieve and share copyrighted MP3 files. The RIAA also joined the National Music Publishers’ Association and The Harry Fox Agency in reaching an agreement, financial terms undisclosed, with peer-to-peer network Audiogalaxy.com, as part of which Audiogalaxy will now require copyright owner permission before music can be shared.
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