The US Copyright Office has issued a ruling that allows
webcasters to participate in arbitration proceedings over royalty
payments despite ensuing legal action against them. The Recording
Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed suit against six
internet radio stations earlier this year alleging that their
operations breached US copyright laws.18 Jul 2001
The legal action between the RIAA and the webcasters focuses on the question whether these particular internet broadcasting services are interactive insofar as listeners have a limited power over the choice of music broadcast. The RIAA alleges that their interactive elements leave them in violation of the US Digital Millennium and Copyright Act.
In ruling that the webcasters should not be excluded from pursuing their interests through arbitration, the federal regulators of the Copyright Office avoided making an official statement on the concept of interactivity. This issue has been left for fuller consideration in the Federal Courts, which has pleased the webcasters trade representative, the Digital Media Association (DiMA).