No Kidding: Leno Gets the Last Laugh Jan 24, 2008
Any comic yarn spun by the host on The Tonight Show qualifies as the studio's property, and each episode since 1992 has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Both the studio and the plaintiffs' legal representation, Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., have agreed to donate at least a portion of their cut in the settlement to charity, along with Leno and the other comics, all of whom chalk up the legal victory as a major step in comedians' ownership of their material. (E! Online)
Lawyer's Widow Sues, Seeks Share of 'Jersey Boys' Profits Jan 5, 2008
Corbello seeks a declaratory judgment that the work is a joint work under 17 U.S.C. 101; that she is joint owner of it under 17 U.S.C. 201(d) and may exploit the work independently of DeVito; that Woodard was a co-author of the work and a co-claimant to copyrights under 17 U.S.C. 201(a); that his contribution and ownership must be recognized by the U.S. Copyright Office; and that DeVito must account for all profits arising directly or indirectly from the work. She seeks a minimum of $5... (Law.com)
New Satellite Royalty Rates Fail to Reflect Full Value of Music Dec 5, 2007
"That said, we view the satellite services as our partners in bringing a greater variety of music to fans everywhere." SoundExchange is an independent, nonprofit performance rights organization designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to collect and distribute digital performance royalties for recording artists and sound recording copyright owners (usually a record label) when their sound recordings are performed on internet radio and satellite radio (such as XM and Sirius), as well as other... (PR Newswire)
'Urinetown!' lawsuit settled Dec 3, 2007
al, which states "the Register denies that stage direction, as presented to the Copyright Office for registration, is copyrightable subject matter.". No resolution has been announced in the suit against the Akron production team. (Variety)
Toy maker ad to make clear it had no lead-paint recalls Nov 30, 2007
The court in New York overturned the settlement yesterday, saying the lower court lacked jurisdiction over much of the case because most of the works weren't registered with the US Copyright Office. The law requires such registration before an infringement lawsuit may proceed, the court said. (Boston Globe)
Yahoo, AOL May Quit Internet Radio After 38% Increase in Music Royalties Nov 29, 2007
The two sides couldn't agree on new rates in late 2005, putting the matter before the Copyright Royalty Board, a panel of three judges appointed by the U.S. Copyright Office. Siding with the music companies, the board in March ordered that royalties be raised to 0. (Bloomberg)
Steve Jobs, the most powerful business person in the world Nov 29, 2007
Facebook's for developers that says if the application permits file-sharing, they must "register an agent for notices of copyright infringements with the U.S. Copyright Office." Some terms of service agreements require disclosure of source code. Applications on the Symbian OS that require signatures to work (I don't think Zittrain mentioned this one, but it fits the theme). (CNET News.com, CA)
What's Next for Jammie Thomas? Oct 26, 2007
The Supreme Court and others have equated "distribute," as used in the Copyright Act, with "publish," defined by the Act as "the offering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for the purpose of further distribution." WIPO treaties to which the United States is a signatory define an exclusive right of "making available to the public" protected works; and the Copyright Office maintains that this right is protected by US law. Consistent with this, intellectual property expert... (eSecurityPlanet)
"Baboon dey chop" - Ambolley Oct 5, 2007
Ambolley stated that in the United States of America and Europe, personnel from Copyright Office go from place to place, noting, the music that is performed in order to collect the royalties due composers. In Ghana, COSGA does not do this, he charged. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Liquid Compass Announces New Online Radio RIAA Royalty Reporting Tool Sep 26, 2007
Royalty fees are paid by streaming radio stations to SoundExchange, the performance rights organization designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to collect and distribute digital performance royalties to artists and copyright owners. "The new RIAA royalty reporting requirements pose a tremendous burden to stations that now must track, gather and submit per performance information to SoundExchange," said Amy Van Hook, chief operating officer for Liquid Compass. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Copyrights Secure Your Writing Sep 23, 2007
But writers, especially freelancers may want to register your copyright with the Government Copyright Office for about $35. Most publishers do so because registration creates a public record of rights, and rights claimed, like First North American Serial, for example, can be specified. (Suite101.com)
Literary dreams end in litigation Sep 10, 2007
According to the Library of Congress catalog, which lists works registered by the U.S. Copyright Office, Simon & Norton Publishing registered 27 books between 1998 and 2001. There was no record of any from Martell Publishing, though that does not mean that books weren't printed. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Unlocking iPhones for profit could draw lawyers' attention Aug 30, 2007
The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress last year issued a statement that unlocking cellphones was not a violation of copyright under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. That law has been used to go after software that copies DVDs. (Boston Globe)
Unlocking iPhone may open up legal issues Aug 30, 2007
The U.S. Copyright Office last year issued a statement that unlocking cell phones was not a violation of copyright under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ... "They're aiding and abetting something that's completely legal. The exemption the Copyright Office created does not state that it applies only to the user," Sunstein said. (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
iPhone hackers could face legal battle Aug 30, 2007
The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress last year issued a statement that unlocking cell phones was not a violation of copyright under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ... "They're aiding and abetting something that's completely legal ... the exemption the Copyright Office created does not state that it applies only to the user," Sunstein said. (MSNBC -- Crime)
Why Apple Can't Stop iPhone Hackers Aug 29, 2007
Individual users are already allowed to unlock their own phones under an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that the U.S. Copyright Office issued last November. The exemption, in force for three years, applies to "computer programs;that enable wireless telephone handsets to connect to a wireless telephone communication network, when circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting to a wireless telephone communication network.". (BusinessWeek)
Can Lawsuits Unhack the iPhone? Aug 29, 2007
"The copyright office ruled that if you want to unlock a phone, you can do it without violating copyright," Jonathan Kramer, principal attorney at the Kramer Telecom Law Firm, told MacNewsWorld. A distinction is made, though, between unlocking a phone for yourself and helping others do it, Kramer explained. (E-Commerce Times)
Unlocking the IPhone Without the Soldering Iron? Aug 28, 2007
And by the way, though it might void the warranty, according to the Copyright Office, as of Nov. 27, 2006, it is COMPLETELY LEGAL to unlock your phone, (under 37 CFR Part 201(5). See: ). (New York Times)
AT&T Cracks On Commercial iPhone Unlocking Groups Aug 26, 2007
I'm sniffing a whiff of B.S. Unlocking and reverse engineering for the purpose of using a phone on a different carrier is expressly permitted as a DMCA exemption by the US Copyright office. Either it's AT&T using Apple's lapdog lawyers to pull their usual scare tactic shenanigans or it's total BS and the hack isn't as universal as they thought/is broken by an update/what have you. (Gizmodo.com)
SoundExchange Inks Royalty Deal With Large Webcasters Aug 25, 2007
The nonprofit performance rights organization -- designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to collect and distribute digital performance royalties from sound recordings -- announced Thursday that the maximum a service would have to pay is $50,000 under a provision requiring a $500 per station advance for royalties. In other words, large Webcasters would not pay more than $50,000 for the advance against royalties, no matter how many stations they own. (InformationWeek)
Some progress on webcast royalties Aug 25, 2007
SoundExchange (the organisation designated by the US Copyright Office to collect statutory licence fees for digitally-transmitted music) and several major webcasters have reached an agreement that would limit the recently introduced $US500 minimum fee per channel or station to $US50,000 per service. This may make it possible for services operating a large number of channels each with relatively low listenership to stay in business. (iTWire)
Google Video Shutdown Sparks DRM Controversy Aug 23, 2007
suggested that it provides a case on which to base a request for an exception to the US anticircumvention law (DMCA), to send to the Copyright Office when it conducts its next rulemaking in 2009. Namely, that consumers should be allowed to legally hack a DRM when it depends on a service provider that ceases operating and provides no alternatives. (eSecurityPlanet)
Complete Fakes Aug 7, 2007
Zip through the script, hit grocery stores and the internet, bang out some sprightly fakes, run their would-be brand names past the copyright office for conflicts, and poof. A bewildering variety of plausible fakes is born. (BusinessWeek)
Three remanded for dealing in pirated Copyright works Aug 4, 2007
Accra, Aug. 03, GNA - The Copyright Office and the law enforcement agencies together with the Video and Film Producers Association of Ghana have arrested three Nigerians for dealing in locally produced pirated audio and audiovisual works in Tema ... A release signed by Mr Alfred Kumi-Atiemo, Assistant Director of the Copyright Office, said items seized were mainly locally produced audiovisual works ... He said the anti-piracy exercise was now being carried out at night instead of the day because... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Police swoop on copyright pirates Aug 2, 2007
Accra, Aug. 1, GNA - The Copyright Office and the Nima Divisional Police Command have arrested two dealers in pirated copyright works and seized items valued at over two billion cedis ... A statement issued by the Copyright Office said the Nima District Police Commander and the Crime Officer led the joint exercise, which lasted four hours ... Mr Alfred Kumi-Atiemo, an Assistant Director in-charge of Public Relations at the Copyright Office, bemoaned the influx of pirated works and improper... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Leading Copyright and New Media Lawyer Steven R. Englund Joins Jenner & Block Jul 25, 2007
Mr. Englund has regularly represented the recording industry in rulemaking and other proceedings before the U.S. Copyright Office. He has represented the industry in numerous industry negotiations, including negotiation of the agreement with the music publishing industry that paved the way for the launch of online subscription services. (PR Newswire)
Hackers saw through iPhone AT&T shackles Jul 21, 2007
Last year, the US copyright office that it was legal for consumers to unlock their mobile phones in order to use them with other carriers, a decision AT&T and Apple may seek to contest, but one which gives hackers (and commercial firms) some leeway. Unconfirmed suggest an unnamed UK punter succeeded in getting an iPhone bought from eBay working on Vodafone's network, again using the iASign tool. (Register)
Media Rights Technologies Pulls iTunes From BlueBeat.com Jul 19, 2007
MRT CEO Hank Risan states, "In my review of official government records and discussions with the U.S. Copyright Office, I was shocked to discover that Apple did not obtain their compulsory licenses. MRT will not condone copyright infringement nor risk infringement liability for our customers and partners. Until Apple is fully compliant with government regulations, iTunes will not be permitted on our sites.". About Media Rights Technologies. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Battle Looms in US Over Royalty Fees for Internet Radio Jun 27, 2007
Intellectual Property Watch. IP-Watch Free E-Alerts and RSS Feed. (Intellectual Property Watch)
Net Radio's Silent Tuesday: Anyone Listening? Jun 27, 2007
The Royalties Controversy The whole royalty fee controversy started March 2 when the Copyright Royalty Board at the National Copyright Office approved the higher rates. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) collects the fees for music copyright holders; though it collects the fees for independent musicians as well, the lion's share of the fees are for record labels. (PC World Magazine)
Nite Owl claims original design was ripped off ... Hundreds of outstanding warrants, 23 open positions ... PMRF: Postponed Aegis launch a success ... Schulze gets national award for helping YMCA ... ';var marqueewidth="408px";var marqueeheight="25px";var marqueebgcolor="#white";////NO NEED TO EDIT BELOW THIS LINE////////////var pauseit=1;var marqueespeed=1 //slow speed down by 1 for NSvar copyspeed=marqueespeedvar pausespeed=(pauseit==0)? copyspeed: 0var iedom=document.all||document.getElementByIdif (iedom)document.write(''+marqueecontent+'')var actualwidth=''var cross_marquee, ns_marqueefunction populate(){if (iedom){cross_marquee=document.getElementById? document.getElementById("iemarquee") : document.all.iemarqueecross_marquee.style.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8+"px"cross_marquee.innerHTML=marqueecontentactualwidth=document.all? temp.offsetWidth : document.getElementById("temp").offsetWidth}else if (document.layers){ns_marquee=document.ns_marquee.document.ns_marquee2ns_marquee.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8ns_marquee.document.write(marqueecontent)ns_marquee.document.close()actualwidth=ns_marquee.document.width}lefttime=setInterval("scrollmarquee()",20)}window.onload=populate;function scrollmarquee(){if (iedom){if (parseInt(cross_marquee.style.left)>(actualwidth*(-1)+8))cross_marquee.style.left=parseInt(cross_marquee.style.left)-copyspeed+"px"elsecross_marquee.style.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8+"px"}else if (document.layers){if (ns_marquee.left>(actualwidth*(-1)+8))ns_marquee.left-=copyspeedelsens_marquee.left=parseInt(marqueewidth)+8}}if (iedom||document.layers){with (document){document.write('')if (iedom){write('')write('')write('')write('')}else if (document.layers){write('')write('')write('')}document.write('')}} Nite Owl’s Art Director David Christy holds the original paste-up from 1991 of the T-shirt design in question: “Kimo’s Rules.” The name was subsequently changed to “Kimo’s Hawaiian Rules” due to a 2000 copyright infringement lawsuit.Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island KAUAI NEWS Nite Owl claims original design was ripped offPORT ALLEN Nite Owl T-shirts owner Rita Peeters says the Westside company’s most widely distributed design began as a gift from a friend.More of this story Jun 24, 2007
Copyrights, however, protect an author s right to distribute and reproduce an original work and derivatives, or variations on the original according to the U.S. Copyright Office. The rules themselves fall into this category, as they are one of many Nite Owl designs. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Net radio faces swan song if fees increase May 23, 2007
The rate, administered by the U.S. Copyright Office, was a little more than a penny per user per hour in 2006. It's set to nearly triple by 2010, under an increase requested by record labels. (USA Today -- Tech)
Singers seek royalties from radio stations May 22, 2007
The U.S. Copyright Office has long supported removing the exemption. The groups have a major ally in Rep. (Sunspot.net -- Business)
Net Radio: Senators Introduce Bill to Block Royalties Hike May 11, 2007
The new higher rates were in early March by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) at the federal copyright office. The appearance of a Senate bill increases the chances of Net radio getting a reprieve from the new rates before their. (PC World)
Which cell phone standard is superior? Apr 29, 2007
However, the U.S. Copyright Office has ruled that consumers may legally break the software locks on their handsets in order to transfer service to another carrier. Still, you might have to be insistent to get a carrier to sell you an unlocked phone or a SIM card. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Terms of Service Mar 29, 2007
We have registered an agent with the United States Copyright Office to receive notice of a claimed copyright infringement in accordance with the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (the "Act"). The Site avails itself of all of the protections under the Act. (Algona Upper Des Moines, IA)
Pandora.com aims to broaden music horizons Mar 27, 2007
But Pandora and many Webcasters could be threatened by new royalty rates recently set by the U.S. Copyright Office's Copyright Royalty Board ... Kurt Hanson, who runs the online publication Radio and Internet Newsletter and has his own radio streaming operation, said he pays $48,000, or 12 percent, of his 2006 revenue to SoundExchange, a nonprofit group representing artists and labels and commissioned by the U.S. Copyright office to collect royalties. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
SAP Could be 'In a World of Trouble' Mar 27, 2007
In the complaint, Oracle said it plans to register thousands of new copyright claims for its software and then "amend its Complaint to add further copyright allegations and causes of action when the registrations for these copyrights" are granted by the United States Copyright Office. Oracle alleged that SAP engaged in "corporate theft on a grand scale" by engaging in "systematic, illegal access to - and taking from - Oracle's computerized customer support systems.". (Datamation)
Untethering cell phone from carrier Mar 20, 2007
A little-noticed ruling by the U.S. Copyright Office in November allows customers to "unlock" phones that use GSM, or Global System for Mobile Communications, one of the dominant cellular technologies used worldwide. advertisement. (AZCentral -- Business)
YOKO PULLS PLUG ON BEATLES DOCU Mar 9, 2007
" Seems they thought the rights were held by some entity called World Wide Video LLC - whoever they are - and in proper legalese, Yoko says that they - whoever they are - don't own borscht. Lawyers state Yoko "owns all rights, title and copyrights in and to all film, outtakes and videotapes" of this particular thing. "Her copyright is registered in the United States Copyright Office at Volume 8485, Pages 472 through 475. " They use phrases like "on notice. (New York Post -- Gossip)
Microsoft hits Google over book search model Mar 6, 2007
The U.S. Copyright Office defines fair use on its Web site as: quotation of excerpts in a review or criticism for purposes of illustration or comment; quotation of short passages in a scholarly or technical work, for illustration or clarification of the author s observations; use in a parody of some of the content of the work parodied; summary of an address or article, with brief quotations, in a news report; reproduction by a library of a portion of a work to replace part of a damaged copy;... (MacCentral)
Lawmakers Tout DMCA Killer Mar 1, 2007
Osterberg pointed to a study the U.S. Copyright Office conducts every three years to determine whether fair use is being adversely affected. "The balance that Congress built into the DMCA is working." The danger, Osterberg said, is in attempting to "enshrine exemptions" to copyright law. (Wired News)
The iPhone: Mac or iPod? Feb 21, 2007
That's legal to do now, thanks to a recent Copyright Office ruling. But those megabuck versions will sell only to a slim upper crust of desperate Apple faithful. (FOX News)
Yodelling guy from Kempsey found in Dusty archive Feb 18, 2007
IN 1943, a 15-year-old songwriter called David Gordon Kirkpatrick sent the handwritten lyrics for two songs to the Australian copyright office, hoping to protect the rights to his works. The songs I'm A Yodelling Guy From Texas ("I'm a yodelling guy from Texas, always yodelling strong ") and Beautiful Aussie Land were never recorded, but they mark the official start of the career of Kirkpatrick, who later became known as Slim Dusty. (The Age)
Slim Dusty songs uncovered 64 years on Feb 15, 2007
Slim Dusty sent three songs to the Copyright Office in 1943 ... The songs were sent to the Copyright Office in 1943 by 15-year-old David Gordon Kirkpatrick, who later became known as Slim Dusty. (ABC News Online, Australia)
Web pirating proliferating at UI, official says Feb 13, 2007
Such protection is provided via the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, which protects universities from liability if the schools agree to identify violators and eliminate illegal material, according to a U.S. Copyright Office Summary. Rather than turning students over to copyright-infringement watchdogs to face legal indictments, as businesses do with their employees, students are at the mercy of their respective institution. (Daily Iowan, IA)
Ghanaba calls for new musicians body Feb 12, 2007
He further advocated the fashioning out of a collective vision for the music industry to enhance unity among members and the need to halt all forms of interference by the Copyright Office and its administrator in the operations of the music industry. Source:Graphic. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Musicians Bemoan Fall of Industry Feb 8, 2007
He said within a matter of years several Musicians who were dissatisfied with the Society's operations, levelled allegations of corruption against Officials of COSGA and the Copyright office, accusing them of flouting with impunity, provisions in the LI governing the Society requiring accountability and transparency particularly in the distribution of royalties. He said the research exposed a number of factors affecting the industry as unwarranted interference in the operations of the music... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Apple's Lawyers Target iPhone Copycats Jan 16, 2007
"So, if there is an original icon, Apple has copyright protection as of its creation. Apple would have to register the work in the copyright office to file suit but it's their right and can keep others from using that particular icon," he stated. For patent protection, by contrast, Apple has to file for a patent with the Patent and Trademark Office, Rubin continued. (MacNewsWorld)
