Man With Desk next To Al Dukes
03-22-2002, 02:01 PM
Press Release
SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.
DIRECTV Files Lawsuit Against WFAN's Sid Rosenberg for Stealing DIRECTV Programming
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2002--DIRECTV, Inc. announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against WFAN radio personality, Sid Rosenberg, alleging violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Federal Communications Act.
On Monday, March 11, 2002, while speaking with Don Imus on the ``Imus in the Morning'' program on MSNBC, Rosenberg asserted that he has used an illegally modified DIRECTV access card to steal DIRECTVr programming.
After encouraging Imus to cease paying DIRECTV for its service and begin using a hacked DIRECTV access card, Rosenberg stated, ``You don't have to pay DIRECTV if you get the card zapped...I get the card zapped.'' Imus responded and said, ``Well, that's dishonest...it's stealing.'' However, throughout the program, Rosenberg continued to boast about using an illegally modified DIRECTV access card to steal programming, such as movies and sports.
``With this lawsuit we are sending Mr. Rosenberg a very clear message: using an illegally modified access card to receive DIRECTV programming is stealing and it violates federal law,'' said Larry Rissler, vice president of Signal Integrity for DIRECTV, Inc. ``We have the transcript of the program and Mr. Rosenberg's brazen comments on national television of stealing DIRECTV programming were a clear admission of wrongdoing.''
Any one who purchases, possesses or uses signal theft equipment to gain unauthorized access to DIRECTV programming is subject to statutory damages of up to $10,000 per violation. Federal statutes also allow DIRECTV to recover compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorneys' fees and other expenses.
``Frankly, as a member of the media, we were shocked at Mr. Rosenberg's reckless and irresponsible comments,'' Rissler added. ``He was encouraging consumers to steal copyrighted broadcasts, such as programming owned by Viacom, the parent company of CBS/Infinity, which owns WFAN.''
DIRECTV is one of the largest distributors of Viacom-owned programming - including Showtime, MTV, CBS and Paramount Pictures - in the United States.
DIRECTV, through its Office of Signal Integrity, continues to provide technical support to law enforcement officials working to prevent the theft of DIRECTV programming signals. DIRECTV has implemented a 24-hour signal integrity hotline at 1-800-830-6090 and can also be contacted via e-mail at si@directv.com.
DIRECTV is the nation's leading digital satellite television service provider with more than 10.7 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. HUGHES is the world's leading provider of digital television entertainment, broadband services, satellite-based private business networks, and global video and data broadcasting. The earnings of HUGHES, a unit of General Motors Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to the General Motors Class H common stock (NYSE:GMH - news). For more information, visit www.DIRECTV.com.
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Contact:
DIRECTV, Inc.
Bob Marsocci, (310) 726-4656
Robert Mercer, (310) 726-4683
SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.
DIRECTV Files Lawsuit Against WFAN's Sid Rosenberg for Stealing DIRECTV Programming
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2002--DIRECTV, Inc. announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against WFAN radio personality, Sid Rosenberg, alleging violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Federal Communications Act.
On Monday, March 11, 2002, while speaking with Don Imus on the ``Imus in the Morning'' program on MSNBC, Rosenberg asserted that he has used an illegally modified DIRECTV access card to steal DIRECTVr programming.
After encouraging Imus to cease paying DIRECTV for its service and begin using a hacked DIRECTV access card, Rosenberg stated, ``You don't have to pay DIRECTV if you get the card zapped...I get the card zapped.'' Imus responded and said, ``Well, that's dishonest...it's stealing.'' However, throughout the program, Rosenberg continued to boast about using an illegally modified DIRECTV access card to steal programming, such as movies and sports.
``With this lawsuit we are sending Mr. Rosenberg a very clear message: using an illegally modified access card to receive DIRECTV programming is stealing and it violates federal law,'' said Larry Rissler, vice president of Signal Integrity for DIRECTV, Inc. ``We have the transcript of the program and Mr. Rosenberg's brazen comments on national television of stealing DIRECTV programming were a clear admission of wrongdoing.''
Any one who purchases, possesses or uses signal theft equipment to gain unauthorized access to DIRECTV programming is subject to statutory damages of up to $10,000 per violation. Federal statutes also allow DIRECTV to recover compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorneys' fees and other expenses.
``Frankly, as a member of the media, we were shocked at Mr. Rosenberg's reckless and irresponsible comments,'' Rissler added. ``He was encouraging consumers to steal copyrighted broadcasts, such as programming owned by Viacom, the parent company of CBS/Infinity, which owns WFAN.''
DIRECTV is one of the largest distributors of Viacom-owned programming - including Showtime, MTV, CBS and Paramount Pictures - in the United States.
DIRECTV, through its Office of Signal Integrity, continues to provide technical support to law enforcement officials working to prevent the theft of DIRECTV programming signals. DIRECTV has implemented a 24-hour signal integrity hotline at 1-800-830-6090 and can also be contacted via e-mail at si@directv.com.
DIRECTV is the nation's leading digital satellite television service provider with more than 10.7 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. HUGHES is the world's leading provider of digital television entertainment, broadband services, satellite-based private business networks, and global video and data broadcasting. The earnings of HUGHES, a unit of General Motors Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to the General Motors Class H common stock (NYSE:GMH - news). For more information, visit www.DIRECTV.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
DIRECTV, Inc.
Bob Marsocci, (310) 726-4656
Robert Mercer, (310) 726-4683