James Delahunty
15 Apr 2006 15:11
This news is a few days old, but one of those items we can't have missing from our collection. Streamcast Networks has broken off settlement negotiations with record labels and movie studios and now intends to take its chances in court. After the MGM vs. Grokster ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, the RIAA & MPAA informed several companies of their intention to sue them. Streamcast planned to settle the case, but now has decided to fight it out in court.
Streamcast CEO Michael Weiss said in a statement that he was disappointed that Streamcast and the entertainment companies could not come to an agreement, and now Streamcast wants its "day in court." Streamcast had aimed to create a legal service in co-operation with the entertainment companies but Weiss said that the talks turned from "a full-on partnership into a one-sided, unworkable deal."
Streamcast believes it can win because it does not encourage copyright infringement. Lower courts have recognized the substantial legitimate uses of P2P networks and acknowledged how little control companies have over how their applications are used by consumers. If Streamcast can convince a jury, it could walk away from the lawsuit brought against it with its business model intact.
Source:
Arstechnica