Music Publishers Sue Ed Stolz For Copyright Infringement

Suit

A group of music publishers are suing ED STOLZ and his broadcasting station ownership companies for copyright infringement for allegedly playing ASCAP music without a current license.

The suit by SONY ATV TUNES LLC, WB MUSIC CORP., UNIVERSAL MUSIC CORP., UNIVERSAL POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING, INC., BUT FATHER I JUST WANT TO SING MUSIC, CHEBRA MUSIC, DIVINE MILL MUSIC, EMI APRIL MUSIC INC., ESKAYWHY PUBLISHING, FINGAZ GOAL MUSIC, HI MOM I DIT IT, HUNTERBORO MUSIC, NICE HAIR PUBLISHING, OBVERSE CREATION MUSIC, PARTY ROCK MUSIC, UH OH ENTERTAINMENT, and YEAH BABY MUSIC against STOLZ and his GOLDEN STATE BROADCASTING LLC, PLAYA DEL SOL BROADCASTERS, ROYCE INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING CORPORATION, and SILVER STATE BROADCASTING LLC was filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of CALIFORNIA on APRIL 1st. It alleges that ROYCE Top 40 KRCK/MECCA-PALM SPRINGS, CA, SILVER STATE Top 40 KFRH (104.3 NOW FM)/NORTH LAS VEGAS, and GOLDEN STATE Top 40 KREV (92.7 REV, THE REVOLUTION)/ALAMEDA-SAN FRANCISCO "refused and/or failed to pay" their ASCAP licenses and were sent a termination letter for their licenses on AUGUST 21, 2012, but continued to play ASCAP copyrighted music.

"Given his nearly 40 years of involvement in the terrestrial radio broadcast industry," the complaint adds, "STOLZ is well aware that broadcasters cannot lawfully perform copyrighted musical works via broadcast over commercial radio stations without permission of the owners of the copyrights in those works." The complaint cites three previous ASCAP copyright infringement actions against STOLZ, in 1981, 1986, and 2003, all settled and dismissed. A suit by BMI in 2012 was settled as well, but with an uncured default provision that was triggered in 2014 that led to a judgment in excess of $200,000.

The present suit looks for statutory damages of at least $750 and no more than $150,000 for each of 11 causes of action, plus an injunction and costs.

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