The Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (JACAP) has reportedly lost the first round in its legal battle with local cable providers to collect fees.
A Supreme Court judge recently ruled against the organisation in its battle with a Manchester-based cable company.
JACAP had sued Mars Cable Company and its owner Marlon Allen for failing to pay fees for using overseas content.
However, attorney-at-law Chuck Cameron, who represented the company, said JACAP lost the case after it failed to convince the judge that it represented overseas content providers.
“JACAP took out an action in the Supreme Court against by client who is a cable operator, seeking to collect fees for retransmitting the signal . We simply asked JACAP to prove that they have the authority to collect these fees. When they didn’t respond to us, we went to the court and the court agreed that before they could collect these fees, they need to prove that they have the authority to collect them So the court gave them a certain amount of time and if they failed to provide them , they would have the matter struck out. Well, JACAP failed to provide the proof required and the matter stand struck out as we speak,” Cameron said.
He added that JACAP was given 60 days by the court to provide documentary proof as to which overseas companies it represented.
He also suggested that other cable providers such as FLOW and Digicel have solid grounds to challenge JACAP, which has also taken them to court.
.jpg)
All feeds
