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RSS FeedOne of our goals at the RIAA is to provide timely and accurate information on the issues affecting the music labels and the creative artists we represent that are of interest to the public and the media.

News Releases

Jury Renders Guilty Verdict in First Ever Criminal Online Music Piracy Trial

May 23, 2008
WASHINGTON -- A jury in Alexandria, Va. rendered a guilty verdict on Thursday in the federal prosecution of a Brooklyn man for conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement.

According to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (news release attached), the defendant, Barry Gitarts, “was a significant member of Internet music piracy group Apocalypse Production Crew (APC) from at least June 2003 through April 2004. Records and testimony introduced at trial showed that Gitarts, using the alias ‘Dextro,’ paid for and administered a computer server located in Texas that APC group members used to upload and download hundreds of thousands of copies of pirated music, movies, software and video games. Testimony showed that APC acted as a ‘first provider’ or ‘release group’ of pirated content on the Internet. Release groups are the original sources for a majority of the pirated works distributed and downloaded on the Internet.”

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), this is the first time a federal prosecution of an online criminal copyright infringement case primarily featuring music has gone to trial. The jury rendered a guilty verdict after a two-day trial. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Mr. Gitarts now faces up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release as well as being required to make full restitution.

“For the first time ever, a criminal online music piracy case went to trial, and the jury rendered a swift and unanimous verdict,” said Brad Buckles, Executive Vice President, Anti-Piracy, RIAA. “The crimes committed here -- as well as the harm to the music community -- are severe, and so are the consequences. We congratulate and thank the U.S. Attorney’s office for its work on this case and the larger crackdown against the Internet piracy rings that are responsible for leaks of pre-release music weeks and sometimes months before retail release. Groups like APC that specialize in leaking pre-release music are at the top of the piracy pyramid and the efforts of federal law enforcement have dealt a real blow to these kinds of operations.”

ATTACHMENT: U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA’S PRESS RELEASE

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi- Platinum™ and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

Contact:
Jonathan Lamy
Cara Duckworth
Liz Kennedy
202/775-0101


Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus Releases Priority Country List

May 15, 2008
China, Russia, Canada Well-Deserving of "Ignominious" Distinction, RIAA Says

WASHINGTON -- The co-chairs of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus (IAPC) today released their “Priority Country List” today highlighting some of the most pressing problems confronting the American creative community in global commerce.

Joining China and Russia in “the ignominious three” is Canada which, notwithstanding numerous public announcements, has failed to join the rest of its partners in the developed world in modernizing its copyright laws to address the challenges -- and to seize the opportunities -- of the digital age.

“China continues to rely upon an administrative enforcement system that has proven to be ineffective in addressing copyright theft,” said Neil Turkewitz, Executive Vice President, International, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). “That alongside its maintenance of market access restrictions that prevent the full maturation of a healthy cultural marketplace has landed it on this list once again. Russia’s inclusion reflects its continued lack of compliance with the intellectual property agreement reached with the USTR, referred to as ‘the roadmap to WTO accession.’ Problems remain particularly acute in the area of Internet piracy and the operation of rogue collecting societies.”

“RIAA salutes the work of the IAPC, and in particular the IAPC co-chairs, Senators Biden and Smith, and Representatives Schiff and Goodlatte, for their efforts to shine a light on the practices of some of America’s trading partners where they fail to meet international standards. These members of Congress completely understand that America’s competitive edge rests heavily upon our ability to fuel creativity, ingenuity and technological progress, and that this ability is dependent upon effective global intellectual property protection.”

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND: The IAPC also noted particular concerns in Mexico where piracy continues to dominate the landscape, and also and in Spain and Greece who have fallen behind European partners in the fight against piracy and where significant impediments to effective copyright protection persist -- both in the online and physical environment.

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi- Platinum™ and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

Contact:
Jonathan Lamy
Cara Duckworth
Liz Kennedy
202/775-0101


RIAA Praises House Passage of Legislation Strengthening Intellectual Property Protections

May 08, 2008
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House of Representatives today gave final approval to legislation -- known as the PRO-IP Act -- that would strengthen existing laws against counterfeiting and piracy and provides new resources to key agencies involved in the enforcement of intellectual property rights. Below is a comment from Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol:

"The intellectual property industries generate millions of jobs, a valued trade surplus, and billions of dollars in economic activity. This is a strong, common sense measure that provides new tools and resources to help protect one of this nation’s most important economic engines."

"We are transitioning from a nation whose economy was driven by what we created with our hands to one driven by what we create with our minds. This creative and economic genius deserves to reach its full potential, and this bill is an important step toward achieving that goal. The bipartisan support for this legislation speaks to a widespread recognition by policymakers of the economic importance of the creative industries and the necessary tools to protect it. We applaud Chairman Conyers, Ranking Member Smith, Reps. Berman and Coble and other committee supporters for their steadfast leadership in advancing this bill to passage."

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi- Platinum™ and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

Contact:
Jonathan Lamy
Cara Duckworth
Liz Kennedy
202/775-0101


L.A. County Board of Supervisors Approves Ordinance Holding Property Owners Accountable for Piracy Activity in Their Buildings

May 07, 2008
Los Angeles - The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved a new ordinance designed to hold property owners accountable for the manufacture and sale of pirated movies and music on their premises. The ordinance, approved yesterday, expands the definition of nuisance properties to include those that are used to illegally manufacture and sell recordings and audiovisual works.

“This ordinance is an important milestone in our efforts to curb piracy in Los Angeles. The City and County of Los Angeles have taken the reigns of the Los Angeles Anti-Piracy Task force and have provided tremendous leadership on this issue. In its approval of this ordinance, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors have officially recognized that piracy isn’t just an industry problem, but one that has a significant impact on the local economy as well. We are extremely appreciative of Supervisor Yaroslavsky’s efforts to gain support for this ordinance,” said Dan Glickman, Chairman and CEO of the MPAA.

Said Mitch Bainwol, Chairman and CEO, RIAA: “Los Angeles serves as a music mecca that thrives and relies on the contributions of the entertainment industries. Strong protection of intellectual property is necessary in order to maintain its vibrancy and economic health. This ordinance gives new teeth to a comprehensive effort to reduce counterfeiting and piracy – which costs thousands of local jobs and millions of dollars in revenue – throughout the City and County. We thank Supervisor Yaroslavsky for his continuing leadership on these issues, as well as the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and County Counsel for their efforts.”

In 2005, according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), music and movie companies based in Los Angeles County lost an estimated $5.2 billion as a result of the sale of counterfeit goods. The black market for these goods diverted $2 billion from the legitimate retail sector right here in Los Angeles. These crimes cost the County of Los Angeles approximately 106,000 jobs and at least $483 million in state and local revenue.

“At the end of the day, these counterfeiters and pirates are stealing other people's creative labor, abridging their rights and destroying their intellectual property value. And when you peddle those stolen intellectual goods out on the street, it’s no different than highway robbery,” said County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavksy. “We’ll continue to work with the Sheriff and District Attorney within our jurisdiction, but I’d like to see the Legislature take up this fight statewide. In the meantime, we’ll continue to work with our industry partners and friends in the City of L.A. and elsewhere to enforce and expand the reach of this ordinance and seek out new ways to combat this problem.”

The worldwide motion picture industry, including foreign and domestic producers, distributors, theaters, video stores and pay-per-view operators lost $18.2 billion in 2005 as a result of piracy – more than $11 billion of which is attributed to hard goods piracy including bootlegging and illegal copying.

According to a recent report on music piracy, global theft of sound recordings cost the U.S. economy $12.5 billion in lost revenue and more than 71,000 jobs and $2 billion in wages to U.S. workers. Global losses from physical piracy to the U.S. sound recording industry, according to the report, are estimated to be more than $1.6 billion annually.


About the MPAA:

The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) serves as the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries from its offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Its members include: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Paramount Pictures; Sony Pictures Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLLP; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

For more information, contact:

MPAA
Elizabeth Kaltman
(818) 995-6600

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi- Platinum™ and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

Contact:
Jonathan Lamy
Cara Duckworth
Liz Kennedy
202/775-0101


RIAA CEO Encourages ISPs to Work with Music Industry to Address Digital Theft

May 06, 2008
At house hearing, Bainwol praises construct of Markey-Pickering legislation distinguishing between unlawful and lawful activity - should be a "touchstone" of public policy

WASHINGTON -- In testimony today before a key congressional hearing on proposed “net neutrality” legislation, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) CEO Mitch Bainwol encouraged Internet service providers (ISPs) to work with the content community to adopt effective marketplace solutions to digital copyright theft -- the root cause of any network congestion -- but added that if voluntary agreements could not be reached, government action may be necessary.

In his remarks before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Bainwol said that the glut of illegal file trading had produced “devastating effects” for the music community and “become so severe that it is causing significant congestion over our broadband networks, degrading the online experience for consumers and imposing unnecessary costs on ISPs.”

Referring to legislation introduced by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Chip Pickering (R-Miss.), Bainwol said that the two Congressmen deserved enormous credit for “properly recognizing the important distinction between lawful and unlawful content. Our view is that the marketplace is generally a better mechanism than regulation for addressing such complex issues as how to address online piracy, and we believe the marketplace should be given the chance to succeed. We are encouraged by some of the recent dialogue between content companies and ISPs about this problem. If effective marketplace solutions cannot be reached soon, however, then government regulation may well be necessary.”

The RIAA’s CEO emphasized that the “music industry continues to work creatively with other companies to create legitimate online avenues for the dissemination of music. And in recent months, RIAA and our member companies have been engaged in constructive discussions with a number of ISPs about ways to address the piracy problem, including mechanisms like graduated response policies, longer-range technological approaches, and business solutions through negotiations between individual music companies and ISPs that can capture the value of music being consumed by subscribers. We are cautiously optimistic that such discussions will lead to tangible results.”

At the same time, Bainwol noted that some ISPs still turn a “blind eye” to online theft. “These ISPs would just as soon pretend that congestion was not fundamentally a problem directly connected to theft. And some prefer to cure congestion with greater efficiency – solving their problem, but compounding ours.”

“We’re heartened by this examination of these important issues and the emerging consensus recognizing that Internet freedom isn’t synonymous with a Wild West in which the taking of our property is accepted, or at best, ignored,” added Bainwol. “The distinction between lawful and unlawful activity must be the cornerstone of both private market discussions and public policy.”

ATTACHMENT: RIAA CEO, MITCH BAINWOL’S, TESTIMONY

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi- Platinum™ and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

Contact:
Jonathan Lamy
Cara Duckworth
Liz Kennedy
202/775-0101