Number: RL34719
Title: Cartoon Network LP v. CSC Holdings, Inc.: Remote-Storage Digital Video Recorders and Copyright Law
Authors: Kate M. Manuel, American Law Division 
Abstract: In Cartoon Network LP v. CSC Holdings, Inc., a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that Cablevision's proposed remotestorage digital video recording (RS-DVR) service did not directly infringe the reproduction or public performance rights of those holding copyrights in the recorded materials. Under the Copyright Act of 1976, copyright holders have exclusive rights to reproduce their works in copies and to perform motion pictures or other audiovisual works publicly. Network broadcasters, cable broadcasters, and movie studios argued that Cablevision's proposed service would infringe these rights by creating unauthorized, unlicensed, and therefore infringing buffer and playback copies of their programs and transmitting the playback copies to customers. Although the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York agreed with the copyright holders and permanently enjoined Cablevision from operating its RSDVR service on March 22, 2007, the Second Circuit reversed on August 4, 2008. The Second Circuit's decision clarifies the nature of infringing reproduction and public performance under the Copyright Act, and could pave the way for commercial introduction of the latest technology for time-shifted viewing of television programming.
Pages: 13
Date: October 23, 2008