On Oct 9, 2007, at 5:26 PM, Robert Seeberger wrote: > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7029892.stm > > A car repair firm has been taken to court accused of infringing > musical copyright because its employees listen to radios at work. > The action against the Kwik-Fit Group has been brought by the > Performing Rights Society which collects royalties for songwriters and > performers.
When I worked at Apple TV, right around the time that Apple (computer) was being sued by Apple (corps), we were told to be very careful about this sort of thing. It is common for "AV Types" to put on their favorite music while they set up the room, focus the projectors, and so forth. Often, that same music is played as "walk-in music" for the event. We were required to obtain properly-licensed music for that use, which makes sense: the music was being played through the PA system for the event, was part of the event -- part of the experience Apple was making for its sales reps or general employees or execs. When we looked into it, it did appear that _any_ public performance of music that contributes to a business whether directly, as in a club, where the music is part of the draw or indirectly, as in the auto shop in question, where the music merely allowed the employees to enjoy their day. Of course, it was the "public performance" aspect -- the music being played out loud in the workplace where coworkers and customers could hear and gain benefit from it -- that triggered this latest bozo explosion. I know that there have been occasions in the office where one or another employee has said, "hey, listen to this", and allowed music to be performed through the speakers on his or her laptop. How long before they come for us? Dave _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
