Legal stance on Sound Choice and Stellar Records

[admin]

Originally Posted by MEESTER HAM

By the way Mtu. I have a copy of Sound Choice and Stellars press release on their allagations. I will gladly send you a copy if you would like.

Go ahead and post it here, as a post, or an attachment to a post.

I think we may have them from a web site in Az, but where things are going, I need a solid copy of the original. If you would, also post the path they took to get to you as best you can. Our Lawyers will want to know.

[quaizywabbit]

Subject : Re: Commercial use of purchased media

January 24, 2007

Thank you . . .

. . . for contacting me about copyright law. I appreciate that you have taken the time to communicate your views and concerns with me.

I understand your concern about the current copyright system and the ability to use purchased media in different formats. Should related legislation come before the U.S. Senate for a vote, I will keep your views in mind, and share your thoughts on this issue with my colleagues who serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to contact me whenever I can be of assistance to you or your family.

Sincerely,

Debbie Stabenow

United States Senator

If we all made our wishes/concerns known to our elected officials, perhaps the law wouldn't be subject to interpretation.....

[Lonman]

That must be a standard response, I got something very similar from our senator about a year ago.

[jaddams]

WOW!

Jon

[admin]

As promised, here is a link to the legal research MTU paid for.

As expected, Sound Choice and Stellar Records are way off base in "their opinions" that were stated as "the law".

-------------------------------
In light of the intimidation some Karaoke Produers are threatening, MTU paid for legal research again (2003 & 2007) to get a true picture of the legal rights of Karaoke Hosts putting on public shows, as well as private citizens, should this issue ever go to court. Click this URL to read the research findings: http://www.mtu.com/support/karaoke-legal-myths.htm. Please publish this paragraph anywhere on the Internet, or other methods, or email it privately to anyone.
-------------------------------

[Beavis]

Once again, great job MTU !!!!

didnt notice any other companies stepping up to the plate !!!




now when are you going to start selling KMA downloads ??

[jaddams]

Congratulations Admin! Great job.

Jon

[kilith]

yes it is good for us to know but yet we all know it will fall on deft ears when it comes to SC or Stellar. They will still say they know the laws and that what they say is law.

It is like I have said on their forums. There have never been any court cases to prove this is illegal. Another thing no matter how much you try to turn in people to SC when you know they are illegal SC sits on their butts and do nothing. Over 8 years of turning in the same person and company and nothing was ever done. So that tells you how much action SC would ever take against anyone anyways.

[admin]

Originally Posted by kilith

yes it is good for us to know but yet we all know it will fall on deft ears when it comes to SC or Stellar. They will still say they know the laws and that what they say is law.

It is like I have said on their forums. There have never been any court cases to prove this is illegal. Another thing no matter how much you try to turn in people to SC when you know they are illegal SC sits on their butts and do nothing. Over 8 years of turning in the same person and company and nothing was ever done. So that tells you how much action SC would ever take against anyone anyways.

I can understand why you say this first paragraph. However, in 2003 when we paid for the first legal research, they were intimidating HOSTS/KJs and CONSUMERS with KAPA, which is now inactive. They ceased bothering people because our research gave them a clear picture of what SC was saying "is the law", was only their opinion and was NOT the law.

Now SC is trying to intimidate the Venue owners who hire HOSTS/KJs into believing if the discs aren't present and used, it is illegal and "we will sue you." SC is afraid to sue because, as this latest research proves, there is significant court case law against them winning where the songs in use have been paid for.

Now, on the other hand, if they truly want to help the industry, then the would go after the truly illegal operators who steal or copy discs without buying them. Or after those who pay $400 on eBay for a hard drive with 35,000 songs on it and say "I bought my songs". These are the ones who need to be shut down. But to say it is illegal to play from a hard drive is clearly in error, and this latest legal research disproves that MYTH.

[Lonman]

Originally Posted by admin

Go ahead and post it here, as a post, or an attachment to a post.

I think we may have them from a web site in Az, but where things are going, I need a solid copy of the original. If you would, also post the path they took to get to you as best you can. Our Lawyers will want to know.

Here is the link to the letter they supposedly sent out in Phoenix - again on ONE little retailer only. No where else is this letter been posted (as far as I can find). Even the actual press releases are only posted on this ONE retailers site. It's not even on SC or POP HIts own sites.
Anway, here is the link.

http://karaokestar.com/sounchoiccea.html

Even though it seems like scare tactics, i'm willing to bet that many bars that get this wouldn't care if the karaoke had all originals or not & would drop karaoke altogether rather than take a chance.

[kilith]

Originally Posted by Lonman

Here is the link to the letter they supposedly sent out in Phoenix - again on ONE little retailer only. No where else is this letter been posted (as far as I can find). Even the actual press releases are only posted on this ONE retailers site. It's not even on SC or POP HIts own sites.
Anway, here is the link.

http://karaokestar.com/sounchoiccea.html

Even though it seems like scare tactics, i'm willing to bet that many bars that get this wouldn't care if the karaoke had all originals or not & would drop karaoke altogether rather than take a chance.

Maybe someone should send them the legal findings by MTU and do it on letter head. That way they can spred the news to their area and stop this SC bs

[admin]

I discussed with our research lawyer whether MTU had legal rights to sue for "restraint of trade". She said NO. They were expressing their "Freedom of Speech" First Amendment right to state their "opinion". That really got my goat.

SO... MTU will be issuing a Press Release of our own before too long. We are getting Microstudio 4.000 announcement emails out to everyone now. Then, we'll do the Press Release. I won't stoop to SC and Stellar's level, but rather state that their PR (and I'll quote the URL to the two copies on our web site) is strickly an opinion and has no power of law behind it. I will include the link to our paid for legal reseach in the Press Release so everything is provided for anyone who wants to post it wherever they want to. We want the Karaoke industry to know that MTU is fighting for them.

Personally, I think SC and Stellar are preparing to release some new product, and thus are trying to damage our image. Instead, we will fight against their attacks. For example, this Nashville Post article documents that Stellar Records has been making illegal songs for quite a while. Any Host who buys these illegal songs, and plays them... is acting illegally. Thus, if you buy Sound Choice (also has been sued for illegal copyright infringement) or Stellar songs, then you have an excellent chance that BECAUSE of those purchases and playing those songs, you ARE being illegal.

So... would you buy from a producer who keeps getting sued by the Record Labels?

[jaddams]

Admin:

Great article from the Nashville Post, thank you for posting the link. Quite an eye opener.

Regards,

Jon

[ddouglass]

Here is a second article from the Nashville Post and Stellar is named as defendant again. This is just last October.

[Beavis]

how many small companys stand up for their product like MTU ?????


thanks for taking the time and money to research this admin.

we all know how much Lawyers are per hour !!

[kilith]

I took the time to email that karaoke company to have the new IP justice added to their website. This is the response I got.

We are very familiar with the IP Justice opinion and so is Stellar and Sound Choice.

Thanks!

KaraokeStar.com/KeepersOfTheSecret.com
2920 E. Mohawk Lane Suite 103
Phoenix, AZ 85050
800-386-5743

It looks like this place must be in bed with Sound Choice and Stellar. So I in return sent.

IP Justice is not an opinion. IP Justice is fact. If you decide to side with companies who in the past have broken laws over and over (Stellar being sued once in 2003 and then again in 2006 for copyright infringement) that is fine with me. IP Justice are copyright lawyers who are paid for their research. Sound Choice has never once paid for this type of legal advice instead they rather not pay royalties and the same with Stellar.

IP Justice JUST released a 2007 release. However if you think Sound Choice and Stellar are on the right side of the law then you are wrong. Both sued in 2003 and Stellar once again in 2006 for not paying royalties. Computerized Karaoke to this date no lawsuits or case laws to say it is illegal. I guess if you want to scare all the establishments in an AZ area to totally drop karaoke in fear of being sued when they will not and can not then you are killing your business as well.

Be smart an do not side with someone who already have been caught for illegal practice and sued for illegal practice. If you do you might as well get out of the karaoke business because I know if I was a bar owner in AZ and I recieved that letter I would forget having any type of karaoke entertainment so that I do not have to put up with the hassles.

Ignorant people are unbelievable.

[admin]

Originally Posted by kilith

Ignorant people are unbelievable.

So true!

Did you take the time to visit KeepersOfTheSecret.com?

I loved your email response back to them. Well done!

[Lonman]

Originally Posted by kilith

It looks like this place must be in bed with Sound Choice and Stellar. So I in return sent.

Probably why it's the ONLY site that had the 'press release' & 'cease & desist' letter posted.
Funny thing is they don't advocate hard drive use or sell those systems, yet they sell cassette & cd recorders to do your performance, something Sound Choice has stated is illegal as well - now on the cd recorder they DO say "HOME CD RECORDER".

[kilith]

Originally Posted by admin

So true!

Did you take the time to visit KeepersOfTheSecret.com?

I loved your email response back to them. Well done!

yes I did and it was kind of creepy... Secrets of life but yet they choose to follow known law breakers

Is that one of the secrets of life?

[a2kmike]

Originally Posted by kilith

yes I did and it was kind of creepy... Secrets of life but yet they choose to follow known law breakers

Is that one of the secrets of life?

you can watch "the secret" here.

http://movies.peekvid.com/feature/mo...he-Secret.html

It is quite interesting.

Mike