Radio station breached copyright

One Productions Ltd has been fined Lm400 after the First Hall of the Civil Court found that it had breached copyright.

This judgment was delivered in the case filed by The Performing Right Society Ltd of England against One Productions Ltd (formerly Rainbow Productions Ltd.)

The court heard that in 1994 plaintiff company had claimed that One Productions was playing records on its radio station in breach of copyright.

According to plaintiff company, defendant had allowed music to be played on its radio station without paying a licence to plaintiff which represented the artistes whose works were being played.

The court was requested to impose a penalty on One Productions Ltd.

Mr Justice Joseph R Micallef declared in his judgment that The Performing Right Society Ltd was in essence a collecting company and it collected the performing rights due to the various artistes with which it was contracted whenever their works were aired.

It resulted that in July, 1994, Radio Super One, which was managed by One Productions Ltd, had played certain music without obtaining permission from plaintiff company.

The court therefore ordered One Productions Ltd to pay a fine of Lm400 to plaintiff company.