News groups want webcast of illegal download trial

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Fourteen news organizations, including The Associated Press and The New York Times Co., are urging an appeals court to allow online streaming of oral arguments in a music downloading lawsuit the recording industry filed against a Boston University graduate student, reports The Boston Globe.


A brief filed in the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals argues that allowing audiovisual webcasting of the case is in the public interest. The news organizations countered a petition by the RIAA opposing webcasting from the courthouse in its lawsuit, which alleges copyright infringement. The Times Co. owns The Boston Globe.

The webcast was sought by Charles Nessen, a Harvard Law School professor representing BU student Joel Tenebaum. Recently US District Judge Nancy Gertner, who authorized the webcasting of arguments in the case, delayed the hearing to allow the appeals court to consider the webcast.