GrayZone Digest
May 1997
|
|
GrayZone Digest May 1997 |
|---|
| Legal Highlights |
According to a report in the May issue of ICE, U.S. Customs officials struck
"a blow of unprecedented magnitude against the [bootleg] industry." The
article went on to identify those arrested as principal figures involved in
well known bootleg labels, including Midnight Beat, Oxygen, Flashback and Blue
Moon.
The high profile bootleg company, Kiss the Stone, reacted by declaring that
they would be closing their company. A visit to their Internet Web site
confirmed this fact with a message that read: "Official Notice: The End of
An Era. KTS Records are sorry to announce that they will be closing down from
the end of April, '97." The bootleg industry drains more than $300 million from the legitimate U.S. record industry, according to Alexandra Walsh, a spokesperson for the RIAA.
|
|---|---|
| Artists Actions |
The Dave Matthews Band recently cracked down on independent record retailers
in New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Matthews'
representatives entered record stores in search of bootlegs and if any
contraband product was stocked, a federal marshall and attorney, Jules Zalon,
later returned to confiscate the items and threaten legal action. The band
says it acted on complaints from fans, and is currently working on an official
live album, a proactive move the band hopes will please the fans who enjoy
their live performances. Zalon is well known for his work in curtailing the
distribution of counterfeit T-shirts for Michael Jackson, Dennis Rodman,
Hootie and the Blowfish, and other well known acts. (New York Times, April 23, 1997 - Neil Strauss; MTV News On-line, April 25, 1997 - http://www.mtv.com/)
|
| . | |
| China |
Henggang Chinese law enforcement officials are finally pursuing and arresting pirates, even well-hidden ones. In what is considered a progressive move for China, copyright police are offering informants large sums of cash to reveal their sources. In December, 1996, a concerted effort began in Guangdong Province, a known copyright piracy center, to thwart illicit business. Authorities claim they have arrested more than 100 offenders and shut down 28 underground factories, where each disk-making machine could copy 10,000 disks a day. Industry experts say Beijing seems serious about the current crackdown, especially since the Chinese business community is starting to recognize the threat that piracy poses to China's own legitimate music and movie industries. (New York Times, April 7, 1997 - Seth Faison)
|
| Philippines | Manilla An international conference on intellectual property rights opened in Manila on April 28 amid charges of gridlock in the Philippine judicial system and inadequate enforcement procedures. About 200 foreign delegates were expected to attend the meeting to study infringements and focus on new communications technologies. (United Press International, April 25, 1997)
Stuart Ong, Vice President of the Business Software Alliance, a
Washington-based anti-piracy concern, has offered rewards for those providing
information leading to successful legal action against corporate software
theft rampant in the Philippines. He says $2,000 will be paid to anyone,
including past and present employees, who comes forward with the name of a
firm infringing on the copyright of BSA members. BSA is also offering $100 to
anyone offering a confidential statement to its attorneys about a piracy
case.
Services | Digest | Anti-Piracy FAQ | Copyright FAQ | Breaking News | Press | Archives | Links | Search | Home | Intro |