Current World Audio News

MIKE PATTEN, 1947-2000
Mike Patten, co-founder, chief technology officer and chairman of Graham-Patten Systems, died from a stroke at the age of 53. Patten was the principal design engineer and architect for the company’s ESAM and D/ESAM edit suite audio mixers.

After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Birmingham, Patten joined Standard Telecommunications Laboratories and assisted in the development of the first high-fidelity audio digitizers. Patten left STL and joined Grass Valley Group in 1975, where he contributed to the design of video production switchers and digital video effects systems. He helped form Graham-Patten Systems, an audio mixer-based business, in 1980, and in 1991, The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences recognized Patten with a Technical Emmy award for the company’s D/ESAM product.

Howard Mullinack, CEO and president of Graham-Patten Systems, says, “He was a brilliant engineer and a great friend, liked and admired by everyone with whom he came in contact.”

COURT ORDERS MP3.COM TO PAY DAMAGES
A federal district court in Manhattan ruled in September that MP3.com willfully infringed on copyrights held by Universal Music Group and ordered the company to pay up to $250 million in damages. MP3.com plans to appeal the ruling.

Judge Jed S. Rakoff said MP3.com must pay $25,000 for each Universal CD accessed by the online service, My.MP3.com. This service allows a user to upload a CD into an online locker after indicating that they own it. The user can then listen to the stored music via a computer or other digital devices.

“We built technology that lets people listen to their own CD collections,” says Michael Robertson, MP3.com’s chief executive. “We think the law needs to accommodate consumers’ need to listen to their own CD collections online in a digital form.”

However, Judge Rakoff argued that Internet technology is not immune to copyright laws. “[Internet companies] need to understand that the law’s domain knows no such limits.”

The ruling comes after MP3.com reached agreements with Sony Music, Time Warner, EMI Group and Bertelsmann AG earlier this year, though the settlement amounts were not disclosed.

This month, the court will determine the number of CDs involved. Universal has said 5,000 to 10,000 copyrights are at issue; MP3.com has set the number at 4,740.

FAIRLIGHT, SOUNDTRACS REACH AGREEMENT
Soundtracs and Fairlight USA have announced an exclusive distribution deal, whereby Fairlight will be the sole seller and supporter for Soundtracs digital consoles in the United States.

Soundtracs’ “increased commitment… is reinforced by our joint distribution venture with Fairlight USA,” says Todd Wells, CEO of Soundtracs.

According to John Lancken, senior VP at Fairlight USA, the Soundtracs product line fits neatly into Fairlight’s current U.S. sales and marketing infrastructure.

For further information, visit www.soundtracs.com or www.fairlightusa.com.

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