Rights Infringement
HC bars Hyatt, Andaz from playing copyrighted songs at events sans license
This story was originally published at 18:16 IST on 11 October 2024
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NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court has barred Hyatt and Andaz hotels all over the country from playing and using copyrighted songs at their events without a license from Novex Communications Pvt. Ltd. till the next hearing on Jan 14. The court issued summons to Hyatt India Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. and other parties that own and operate the Hyatt and Andaz brands.
The high court noted that the respondents were not "fly by night" operators who were new to the industry. The respondents cannot be allowed to play the songs they neither owned nor had obtained license for from Novex Communications, which has the copyright for a large repertoire of sound recordings. Allowing them to do so would tantamount to infringement of the rights of Novex Communications, the court said.
Established in 2002, Novex Communications is a renowned name in broadcasting and media solutions. It grants licenses to hotels, restaurants, resorts, and malls to play the sound recordings for on-ground performances.
The repertoire of sound recordings owned by Novex Communications include those of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Tips Industries Ltd., and other prominent names. Novex Communications is also the authorised agent and authority holder of Yash Raj Films Pvt. Ltd. The company said that Zee, Tips and other parties, through assignment agreements and authorisation letters, had assigned on-ground performance rights for sound recordings of songs from films in its favour. This made Novex Communications the copyright owner of the on-ground performance rights of these songs.
In December, Novex Communications found that its sound recordings were being played at Andaz Delhi. At the said hotel, the defendants blatantly infringed its copyright by playing the sound recordings without the requisite authorisation, the company said. The defendants are deriving huge commercial gains by playing its copyrighted sound recordings at the venues and are utilising its sound recordings to increase their business revenue and profits, Novex Communications said. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Ashish Shirke
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