Copyright & Media Update

June 17, 2016

Amazon Has a Serious Copyright Problem

BY JONATHAN BAILEY: Every web host and service provider online has some sort of copyright problem. Whether it’s YouTube’s battles with Content ID, Twitter being accused of not removing infringing materials or just hosts like GoDaddy and Hostgator dealing with run-of-the-mill copyright notices, the problem is always there. However, Amazon’s problem may trump them all. Amazon has faced copyright and patent infringement lawsuits, has been repeatedly called out for widespread plagiarism in its book store and has earned the wrath of many creators who say that their work appears on Amazon with little to no recourse. READ MORE….

U.S. ISP Sues Music Group Over Piracy Allegations

BY ERNESTO: U.S. based Internet provider RCN is suing music rights group BMG. The Internet provider has asked the court to declare that it is not responsible for copyright infringements allegedly committed by its customers. Among other things, RCN argues that the notices sent by BMG’s anti-piracy partner Rightscorp are flawed. With 400,000 subscribers nationwide, RCN is one of the larger Internet providers in the United States. READ MORE…

Amazon Inc. com, Inc. Music Streaming Will End Spotify

BY BRAD MOON: Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is reportedly preparing to launch its own standalone streaming music service. If so, it will join Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) Apple Music, Spotify and Alphabet Inc’s (GOOG) Google Play in a market that’s increasingly dominated by tech giants. The entry of Amazon seems likely to be the final blow to the era of streaming music startups, and likely spells the end of Spotify as well. The end of Spotify. That’s an inflammatory statement, but here’s the logic behind it. READ MORE…

Hamilton and Copyright: Miranda with an Eye on Musical History

BY LARRY ISER: On Sunday night, as Hamilton nearly swept the Tony Awards, two of those Tonys went to the brilliant Lin-Manuel Miranda for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. Interestingly, both the Playbill and the booklet accompanying the Original Cast Album acknowledge many “references” in Miranda’s writing to various “classics” from the genres of musical theatre, rap and R&B. If Miranda admittedly “borrowed” from musical theatre and hip-hop classics to compose his Tony Award-winning score and book, how is it that, the same week that Miranda wins the Tony, Ed Sheeran got sued for allegedly “borrowing” from the song “Amazing” to compose his hit “Photograph,” and Led Zeppelin finds itself going to trial for allegedly filching the introduction to “Stairway to Heaven?” READ MORE…

CCS’s Founder and CVO, Susan Fontaine Godwin is an educator and long-time member of the Christian arts community with 30 years of experience in the Christian media industry, church copyright administration and copyright management. Susan is an author and speaker and frequently writes for several Christian magazines and online publications. She serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Mobile.

About Christian Copyright Solutions: CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.” CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches, as well as representation, administration and advocacy for copyright owners. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only, and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.