RIAA Backtracks Opposes Court Webcasts
By Morelli
As previously reported by Beatcrave, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is easing up on file-sharing lawsuits, promising to not pursue more cases in the future. However, the good will has been retracted, with the RIAA failing to withdraw existing lawsuits that have already been filed and opposing court decisions to allow online access to a court hearing.
The lawsuit in question is against Joel Tenenbaum, a Boston University graduate student, in federal district court in Boston. With 14 news organizations wanting federal courts to allow online streaming of a hearing in a music downloading lawsuit, Judge Nancy Gertner approved webcasts of hearings in the case, a decision the RIAA has appealed.
Gertner has delayed hearings until an appeals court rules on the webcasting. Before the case goes to trial, the RIAA needs to get wise, end the litigation, and avoid this bad publicity. The best case scenario would be, ultimately, for the industry to stop punishing file-sharers, since file-sharing and free content is a reality that is here to stay.
How do you feel about the RIAA’s decision? Do you want online access to court hearings?
Source: Boston Globe
