Showbiz Sandbox 187: Does The Justice System Finally Understand Copyright?

March 25, 2013

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Last week the Supreme Court of the United States dealt another blow to copyright owners in a landmark ruling that confirmed what most consumer advocates had been saying for years; the first sale doctrine does not have geographic boundaries. The court smacked down publisher J. Wiley & Sons’ copyright infringement lawsuit against Supap Kirtsaeng for reselling textbooks he had purchased at a discount in his native Thailand.

While major entertainment companies and trade groups like the MPAA and RIAA may have been on the losing end with the Supreme Court, an appeals court handed them a major victory by ruling in favor of movie studios who claimed that the operator of isoHunt, a large BitTorrent site, was inducing copyright infringement. The court agreed isoHunt was not eligible for safe harbor.

Meanwhile the Library of Congress announced 25 new recordings that will be added to its official preservation registry. We’ll fill you in on the grab bag of popular music, radio shows, news reports, opera and other recordings that made the cut.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including NBC’s silly decision to oust Jay Leno from The Tonight Show (again), the booming Chinese box office and “Downtown Abbey’s” record ratings.

Daily Variety Ends Boffo Run
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-variety-last-edition-20130319,0,863270.story

Library of Congress Adds 25 Recordings To Registry
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/03/21/national-recording-registry-library-of-congress/2002287/

Simon & Garfunkel Song Among 25 Recordings Preserved By Library Of Congress
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_RECORDING_REGISTRY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-03-21-05-51-36

NBC Debates Timing Of Jimmy Fallon Starting Tonight
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbcu-debates-timing-jimmy-fallons-430079

‘Tonight,’ With New Host, Set to Reclaim Its New York Roots
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/business/media/tonight-show-expected-to-return-to-new-york-with-fallon.html

Girls Finale Hits Average For Total Viewers
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-girls-finale-averages-429410

HBO’s ‘Girls’: There’s More Than One Way To Look At Its Ratings
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-hbo-girls-ratings-20130318,0,4710473.story

‘Downton’ Season 3 Sets PBS Record
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/downton-season-3-sets-pbs-record/

Best Selling E-Books of 2012
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/56408-the-e-book-explosion-facts-figures-201

HBO CEO Mulls Teaming With Broadband Partners for HBO GO
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/21/net-us-hbo-streaming-idUSBRE92K14D20130321

YouTube Joins Facebook Billion User Club
http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/youtube-joins-facebook-billion-user-club-148065

China Box Office Hits New High in 2012
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-revenues-hit-430267

New Ratings Record For Germany’s “Tatort”
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/new-ratings-record-germanys-tatort-430644

Amazon Adds New Feature To Kindles
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/amazon-adds-send-to-kindle-button-to-bring-more-content-to-kindle-devices

Amazon Talking To Major Labels About Streaming Music Subscription Service
http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2013/03/amazon-talking-to-major-labels-about-streaming-music-service.html

Amazon Greenlights TV Series Version of Zombieland
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/amazon-orders-zombieland-pilot-430648

The Academy Announces Dates For Next Two Academy Awards
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/academy-announces-oscars-dates-2014-430725

Justin Timberlake Headed to 900K Opening Week Sales
http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/chart-alert/1554370/justin-timberlakes-2020-heading-to-950000-plus

Supreme Court Rules Against Entertainment Industry
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/supreme-court-rules-entertainment-industry-429695

Supreme Court Upholds First Sale In Landmark Ruling
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/copyright/article/56435-supreme-court-upholds-first-sale-in-landmark-kirtsaeng-ruling.html

Hollywood Studios Win IsoHunt Appeal
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hollywood-studios-win-isohunt-appeal-430244

VFX Crossroads: Causes & Effects Of An Industry Crisis
http://magazine.creativecow.net/article/vfx-at-a-crossroads

Comments

One Response to “Showbiz Sandbox 187: Does The Justice System Finally Understand Copyright?”

  1. michael giltz on March 27th, 2013 12:43 pm
     

    I love Simon & Garfunkel but their second album “Sounds Of Silence” should not be on the Library of Congress list for preserved recordings. The song “Sounds Of Silence?” Absolutely. But the album? it’s not even good and the three that follow are great, topped by “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.” That or their massive “Greatest Hits” album would make sense. Simon’s “Graceland” album is already on the list. That makes sense too. But to pick one of S&G’s only two weak albums out for preservation is knuckle-headed.