The European Union's highest court has thrown out a lower court ruling that annulled the European Commission's approval of a merger between Sony and BMG. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) also ordered that the lower court, the Court of First Instance, reconsider its decision in order to review three of five pleas it had not dealt with previously.

 

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has successfully prosecuted Musica for dealing in counterfeit goods. However, it was found not guilty of intent to sell counterfeit goods.

South African singer Karma Ann Swanepoel (Henry Ate, Karma) and her publishing company Urband & Lazar Music Publishing Inc,  have instituted proceedings in a Louisiana court against best-selling rapper Lil Wayne for copyright infringement.

 

We are constantly updating the AIRCO website with pertinent News for Independents from South Africa and around the world. For your convenience, if you're using Microsoft Outlook 2007 you can now receive AIRCO News updates as they happen, without leaving Outlook!

 

RISA have released an encouraging Anti-Piracy Bulletin for June 2008. Their anti-piracy website www.stoppiracy.org.za is regularly updated and contains more detail on the industry’s fight against Piracy while providing a platform for the reporting of activity relating to Music Piracy. Download the Bulletin HERE.

Spanish consumers will soon be saddled with an anti-piracy tax on media devices, including the iPod. The government-mandated charge applies to a range of media-focused devices, specifically those capable of storing, playing, recording, or copying sounds and images.

The SABC, the SA Screen Federation (SASFED) and the Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) signed an agreement on Saturday, 21 June 2008, in Hyde Park, Johannesburgto undertake a joint research project into international best practices regarding procurement of local TV by public broadcasters and the issue of intellectual property rights.

 

South Africa's music stars of the future have been given a much welcomed boost with the awarding of 80 music study bursaries to the value of R662 000 by the Southern African Music Rights Organisation 's Endowment for the National Arts.