MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

honore@bentley-hall.com

September 21, 2010 | AFM Supports Introduction of Bill to Combat Online Piracy

On Monday, September 20, 2010, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy and senior Republican member Orrin Hatch introduced the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act. This legislation will enable the Department of Justice to shut down “rogue websites” that specialize in providing unauthorized downloads, streaming, or sale of copyrighted content and counterfeit goods.

Music and video piracy costs the United States $16.3 billion annually and 375,000 jobs within the entertainment industry. “This bill is a positive step forward in combating piracy and protecting the copyrights of musicians,” said AFM International President Ray Hair. “The American Federation of Musicians of the U.S. and Canada is pleased to see the Senate taking action to address the serious issue of copyright infringement by these rogue sites, and we look forward to working with the Judiciary Committee as the legislation moves forward.”

ABOUT THE AFM

Founded in 1896, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), AFL-CIO, is the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians. With more than 90,000 members, the AFM represents all types of professional musicians, including those who record music for sound recordings, film scores, videogames, radio, television and commercial announcements, as well as perform music of every genre in every sort of venue from small jazz clubs to symphony orchestra halls to major stadiums. Whether negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music, securing benefits such as health care and pension, or lobbying legislators, the AFM is committed to raising industry standards and placing the professional musician in the foreground of the cultural landscape. www.afm.org