Alexis Robinson

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In the ongoing legal battle of Yellow Rose Productions, Inc. v. Pandora Media, LLC, a group of high-profile comedians, including Lewis Black, George Lopez, and the estates of Robin Williams and George Carlin, has filed a motion for partial summary judgment claiming that Pandora is infringing on their copyrights by streaming over 2,000 comedy routines without the necessary licenses. In response, Pandora contends that its existing licenses from record labels sufficiently cover these performances. Not only does this case raises critical legal questions regarding the scope of rights necessary to license non-musical content like comedy, podcasts, and audiobooks in the streaming era, but is emblematic of broader shifts in the entertainment industry, where traditional boundaries of copyright law are being tested by emerging technologies and distribution methods, prompting content creators to be increasingly proactive in safeguarding their rights and monetization opportunities.Continue Reading Funny Business: Comedians Push for Music-Style Licensing

After almost 2 years of negotiations over a new interactive media agreement with video game industry giants such as Activision, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Co., video game performers voted to strike as of Friday, July 26, 2024. The crux of the issue being negotiated surrounds artificial intelligence (“AI”) and performers’ fears that its unbridled use could provide game makers with a means to replace them by training AI to replicate an actor’s voice, or to create a digital replica of their likeness without consent and without fair compensation.[1]Continue Reading Game On: SAG-AFTRA’s Video Game Performer Members Strike Over AI Concerns

Just like Napster triggered a global, technological shift in the way music is consumed and distributed, we are now on the precipice of another major revolution certain to disrupt the music industry. Artificial intelligence, or “AI” as it is more commonly referred, has quickly emerged as a game changer across a myriad of industries and music is no exception. AI offers the promise of innovative opportunities and avenues for music creation, publishing, recording, synchronization, distribution, consumption and revenue generation. However, these opportunities also present significant, novel challenges for music rights holders and users alike—and the legal challenges have just begun.Continue Reading Rise of the Machines: How AI is Shaking Up the Music Industry