By Andrew Orlowski in San Francisco
Published Friday 27th January 2006 02:32 GMT
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Canada's biggest record label, publisher and management company is suing the Recording Industry ***. Of America on behalf of a US family targeted by the lobby group for copyright infringement.
The privately-owned Nettwerk Music Group is intervening, it says, because the songs downloaded and identified by the RIAA by the Gruebel family include Avril Lavigne, a Nettwerk management client.
"The current actions of the RIAA are not in my artists' best interests," said Nettwerk chief executive Terry McBride in a prepared statement.
"Litigation is not 'artist development'. Litigation is a deterrent to creativity and passion and it is hurting the business I love".
McBride said the RIAA has "misapplied" the law and that lawsuits should be a "shield, not a sword".
Chicago lawyers Mudd will defend the Gruebels. The RIAA has demanded the family pay a $9,000 penalty, reduced to $4,500 if they pay up promptly. Nettwerk has vowed to foot the legal bill if it loses the case. ®
