Actress Has No Copyright in Controversial <i>Muslims</i> Film
The work of an individual performer in a film isn't protected by copyright law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decided when it ruled in an 11-judge <i>en banc</i> decision that actress Cindy Lee Garcia couldn't use copyright law to force Google to remove a five-second clip of the film <i>Innocence of Muslims</i> from YouTube and other Internet platforms.
Examining Rulings On Pandora and Performance Rights
Little more than a week after music-streaming service Pandora Inc. won a key ruling in its royalty rate dispute with ASCAP, Pandora was dealt a setback in a parallel fight with ASCAP's rival performing rights organization, BMI.
Awaiting Supreme Court's Ruling on Hybrid Licenses
The owner of entertainment intellectual property often faces concerns about maximizing licensing revenues while addressing the restrictions of federal and state laws that create those rights. Because a given IP right may involve federal law and state law ' through associated trade secrets or confidential information ' licensing of that IP mix often presents a challenge to maximizing an entertainment IP owner's potential revenue generation.
A Primer on What 'Big Data' Is All About
In May 2015, the streaming music service Pandora acquired the music industry data collection company Next Big Sound, which extensively tracks sales, social and streaming data. In the Internet era, the entertainment and other industries are awash with data, all of it with varying degrees of copyright protection. The Pandora/Next Big Sound deal presents a good moment for a primer on this copyright protection.
Using a Service Mark In Commerce
The Federal Circuit has now ruled that advertising a service that the applicant intends to provide in the future, but is not actually providing on the date of the application, is not "use in commerce." Thus, advertising submitted to the USPTO with a use-based application as a specimen of use of the mark in commerce, must relate to existing services already being provided to customers.
Bit Parts
Copyright Act Doesn't Bar Separate Attorney-Fee-Shifting Provision<br>No Federal Jurisdiction over Songs Suit
Counsel Concerns
Songwriter's Widow Sues His Lawyer<br>$275 Awarded to Activision From Settlement of Its Shareholders' Suit Against Former CEO
