RIAA Pre- Lawsuit Letters Go To 22 Campuses In New Wave OF Deterrence Program

WASHINGTON - December 06, 2007 - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), on behalf of the major record companies, this week sent a new wave of 396 pre-litigation settlement letters to 22 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 eleventh wave of this initiative, the RIAA this week sent letters in the following quantities to 22 schools including: Auburn University (13 pre-litigation settlement letters), Brandeis University (12), Georgia Institute of Technology (16), Gustavus Adolphus College (36), Indiana State University (18), Iowa State University (13), Ithaca College (15), Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (16), Louisiana Tech University (15), Mississippi State University (15), Morehead State University (17), Rochester Institute of Technology (12), University of Arizona (14), University of California, Davis (14), University of California, San Diego (17), University of California, Santa Cruz (24), University of Dayton (16), University of Massachusetts at Amherst (30), University of Rochester (15), University of Southern California (33), University of Washington (16), and Western Kentucky University (19).

The legal process continues to provide 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 litigation is one piece of a broader effort by the industry to encourage fans to legally enjoy music. Through collaborations with prominent education groups such as Close Up Foundation, Young Minds Inspired and i-SAFE, the RIAA helps educate students of all ages on the risks of illegal file-sharing websites and the importance of responsible online behavior. Individual record companies have struck partnerships with an array of digital music services to offer fans an exciting, compelling legal experience, including innovative models like Ruckus which offers free, legal music to university students. And, to help provide schools with information about effective policies and practices that reduce instances of theft, the RIAA and the MPAA have jointly developed “best practices” information (attached). Specifically, universities that have seen 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 record industry is partnering with a variety of innovative services to offer fans an extraordinary array of musical experiences and generate new business opportunities. A number of the legal options available to students at a free or deeply discounted rate even include added social networking features, music videos, and movies,” said Jonathan Lamy, Senior Vice President, Communications, RIAA. “That’s exciting news for the music community and fans.”

“For those who ignore these great legal options and ignore years of warnings, we will continue to bring lawsuits,” added Lamy. “It’s not our first choice, but it’s a necessary part of the equation. There are consequences for breaking the law. During this holiday season when many students will receive the latest MP3 players, computers, and cell phones, we want to remind them of the many high-quality legal options available. Why take the triple risks of loading your new device with harmful viruses and spyware that accompany illegal sites or finding yourself in trouble with both the law and your university?”

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 per year.

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. For a list of legal music sites, visit riaa.com.

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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.