Pre-Lawsuit Letters Sent in New Wave Targeting Music Theft on 19 Campuses

WASHINGTON - October 18, 2007 - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), on behalf of the major record companies, today sent a new wave of 411 pre-litigation settlement letters to 19 universities nationwide as part of the ongoing campaign against online music theft. The letters reflect evidence of significant abuse of campus computer networks for the purpose of copyright infringement.

In the ninth wave of this initiative, the RIAA this week sent letters in the following quantities to 19 schools including: Drexel University (17 pre-litigation settlement letters), Indiana University (23), Northern Illinois University (25), Occidental College (19), State University of New York at Morrisville (18), Texas Christian University (20), Tufts University (15), University of Alabama (14), University of California, Berkeley (19), University of Delaware (18), University of Georgia (13), University of Iowa (18), University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (20), University of Nebraska-Lincoln (13), University of New Hampshire (30), University of New Mexico (17), University of South Florida (43), University of Southern California (37) and Vanderbilt University (32).

As before, the legal process gives students the opportunity to resolve copyright infringement claims (www.p2plawsuits.com) against them at a discounted rate before a formal lawsuit is filed. Each pre-litigation settlement letter informs the school of a forthcoming copyright infringement suit against one of its students or personnel. The letter requests that university administrators forward the letter to the appropriate network user to allow the individuals the opportunity to promptly resolve the matter and avoid a lawsuit.

The ongoing initiative comes as federal lawmakers continue to examine the state of copyright theft on college campuses nationwide. This summer, Congress convened a hearing focused on the technological tools that can effectively prevent or curtail the illegal file trafficking of music and movies. These cost-effective tools assist college administrators by protecting the network from damaging viruses and spyware often connected with several P2P services and by freeing the amount of usable network bandwidth that was otherwise consumed by the exchange of large copyrighted files.

The RIAA has also developed “best practices” information, based on the tools and practices initiated by schools experiencing fewer incidences of piracy on their networks. Specifically, universities that have experienced the most positive results have instituted specific reforms that educate students on campus network use and enforcement policies, offer affordable legal alternatives that give students access to their favorite music, and, most importantly, implement appropriate technological tools that protect the integrity of their networks.

“The music marketplace is a rapidly expanding landscape with legitimate new digital services emerging on almost a daily basis,” said Steven Marks, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, RIAA. “These services offer music fans of all ages affordable and convenient ways to get their favorite music. While it’s undoubtedly our last preference to bring legal action against students, music theft remains particularly acute on college campuses. This theft triggers a harmful domino effect throughout the music community – thousands of regular, working class musicians and others out of work, record stores shuttered, new bands never signed. When faced with this reality, we have no choice but to hold those individuals responsible for ignoring the law and all the great new legal ways to get affordable, high-quality music.”

A survey by Student Monitor from last year found that more than half of college students download music and movies illegally. According to market research firm NPD, college students alone accounted for more than 1.3 billion illegal music downloads in 2006. According to non-profit research group Institute for Policy Innovation, global theft of sound recordings cost the U.S. economy $12.5 billion in lost revenue and more than 71,000 jobs and $2 billion in wages to U.S. workers.

Through collaborations with prominent education groups such as Close Up Foundation, Young Minds Inspired and i-SAFE, the RIAA continues to actively educate students of all ages on the risks of illegal file-sharing websites and the importance of responsible online behavior.

The pre-litigation letters are in addition to the lawsuits that the RIAA continues to file on a rolling basis against those engaging in music theft via commercial Internet accounts.

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi- Platinum™ and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.