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By Rosemary Pollock
Bonneville Joins Broadcasters in Suit Over Webcast Royalties
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA -- Bonneville International, along with
five other broadcasting companies in association with the National
Association of Broadcasters, has filed a federal lawsuit that will
seek a review of a December 11, 2000 ruling. Broadcasters are hoping
to block a US Copyright Office ruling that says they must pay
royalties for music that is played on AM/FM radio Internet simulcast
broadcasts.
In a complaint filed on Thursday in a US District Court in
Philadelphia, the NAB claims that the copyright office exceeded it's
authority by issuing an "arbitrary, capricious" rule. The suit names
Marybeth Peters, register of copyrights for US Copyright Office at
the Library of Congress.
The ruling was welcomed by the recording industry, in light of the
battles against Napster. But radio broadcasters already pay
recording companies for playing copyright-protected music and the new
royalties could cost the radio industry millions of dollars per year.
If the lawsuit is unsuccessful and the rule is left to stand the
future of radio programming is at risk. The lawsuit filed by the NAB
states, "[it would] wreak havoc with over-the-air broadcast radio
formats and stifle the offer of streamed over-the-air radio broadcast
programming over the Internet."
Bonneville International is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
Source:
Broadcasters Sue Over Webcast Royalty Rule
Newsbytes 28Jan01 B4
By Dick Kelsey: Newsbytes
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