Listening To The Radio At Work? Prepare To Be Sued

MLCT writes "The Performing Rights Society, one of the UK's royalties collecting societies, has taken a Scottish car servicing company to court because the employees are alleged to have been listening to the radio at work, allowing the music to be 'heard by colleagues and customers'. The PRS is seeking £200,000 in damages for the 'performances of the music' which they claim equates to copyright infringement. The judge, Lord Emslie, has ruled that the case can continue to hearing evidence, commenting that the key point to note was that music was 'audibly blaring from employee's radios'. Where do the extents of a 'public performance' end? Radios on in cabs?"

Comments

Re:Somebody please, stop the madness

[Capsaicin]

I think the tobacco companies should sue everyone for enjoying their products at second ( or even third ) hand.

They don't own the smoke. There is no IP issue here, the sale of cigarettes is a simple assignment of chattel. The smoke belongs to the people who burn the cigarettes but since they are (facially) comitting a tresspass to the person, they aren't in a position to complain either.

In other words, your analogy sucks!

Re:Somebody please, stop the madness

[Alexx K]

The general public will never get annoyed. I'm sure the average American would sacrifice their firstborn child to hear Justin Timberlake's new hit, or buy a CD with Paris hilton on the cover. Who cares if some guy in the UK got sued for playing the radio in public? Walmart's out of Paris Hilton albums!