Audio-Video Association Sues 100 KTVs for Infringement

October 20, 2008

On October 17, the China Audio-Video Copyright Association filed complaints in seven courts in Beijing against 100 KTV businesses in the city including “Tongyishouge,” “Huayang Nianhua,” and “Hi-5 KTV.”

As the legal entity for karaoke copyright royalties, the Association issued a warning letters in late September to about 300 KTV operators, demanding royalties for their use of karaoke copyrights before October 10 to avoid possible legal action. By October 9, however, only 30 of them had contacted the Association, while the rest remained silent or refused to pay.

A person in charge of the Association said that the lawsuit is meant to urge the KTV operators to pay, otherwise they will be subject to legal consequences including orders to cease such infringement, the deletion of relevant songs, and/or economic compensation.