A SESAC motion for summary judgment was denied...
A SESAC motion for summary judgment was denied in the antitrust case brought by broadcasters against the organization formerly called the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, according to court documents. The performing rights organization represents composers and music…
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publishers. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in New York ruled that broadcasters had presented enough evidence for a jury to find that antitrust laws had been violated, though he did reject “plaintiffs’ theories” of a “conspiracy” to inflate license fees “so broad as to embrace all SESAC affiliates,” said the court order. Television Music License Committee is funding the case against SESAC brought by Hoak Media, Meredith and Scripps. TMLC represents “the local television industry in negotiations with ASCAP and BMI,” the other U.S. performing rights organizations, said the release. The broadcasters filed the case in 2009. No trial date has been set, TMLC said. “The court cut through SESAC’s legalistic arguments and found that a jury could find that SESAC’s licensing strategy since 2008 has been to illegally inflate blanket license fees paid by television stations,” said TMLC.