Following the $7.4 million copyright infringement lawsuit of Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines", what does it mean for a song or a sound to be original? Also, we take a look at virtual reality being used across industries beyond entertainment. Then, the debate over incarceration vs. diversion for mentally-ill inmates continues.
Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke convicted of copyright infringement, on the hook for $7.4 million
Yesterday, a Los Angeles jury awarded $7.4 million in compensation to the family of late-singer Marvin Gaye for copyright infringement by singer-songwriters Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke.
Starting in 2013 shortly after their release of the Grammy-nominated single “Blurred Lines,” the case zigzagged through court as Williams and Thicke denied allegations that they had ripped off key aspects of Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.” But with the landmark ruling and multi-million dollar settlement, shockwaves are being felt throughout the music industry as artists now have to more seriously consider what originality means and whether future lawsuits could chill their creative process.
Where is the line between one artist’s copyright and another artist’s creative expression? What does it mean for a song or a sound to be ‘original?’ And will this case open a flood of copyright infringement lawsuits against the thousands of artists who have copied, sampled, and morphed the sounds of others?
Guests:
Dan Nabel, Director of the Intellectual Property Clinic at USC and former intellectual property litigator
Robert Fink, Professor of Musicology, UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
Is the future of virtual reality now? Observers and makers weigh in
Virtual reality technology has been around for decades, with everyone from Google to Disney to videogame makers making big investments in the technology. Is VR about to go mainstream?
Watch the video below to see an example of one of the VR uses we'll be discussing, an "immersive journalism" project that uses VR technology to tell the story of the war in Syria.
Guests:
Ben Delaney, founder of and CEO of CyberEdge information services, a marketing consultancy on use and adoption of virtual reality technologies. He's the author of "Sex, Drugs and Tessellation: The Truth About Virtual Reality" (CyberEdge information Services, 2014)
Mark Bolas, director for Mixed Reality Research, the Institute for Creative Technologies, USC. He’s also an Associate Professor at the film school
Nonny de la Peña, director of the virtual reality journalism project called "Project Syria." She’s also a PhD student at USC.
Debating whether to build jail in LA to house those in need of correctional rehab
The debate over incarceration vs. diversion for mentally-ill inmates is one that has been going on for years in Los Angeles, and can be traced back to 1997, when the federal government conducted a number of probes on conditions for mentally-ill inmates locked up in L.A. County.
Today, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors is continuing a discussion about whether to build a new jail which would specifically inmates in need of correctional rehabilitation for issues like mental health or drug addiction. With billions of dollars at stake, supporters are saying the jail would drastically improve conditions for mentally-ill inmates by creating a facility focused specifically on their needs. Opponents argue the money might be better used elsewhere, possibly to create more diversion programs for the mentally-ill.
Is it worth it for the county to spend this money on building a jail for mentally-ill inmates or is there a better way to improve conditions for mentally-ill inmates?
Guests:
Terri McDonald, Assistant Sheriff of Custody Operations for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. She also spent 24 years with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Peter Eliasberg, legal director at the ACLU of Southern California. He co-authored a report this past July called “A Way Forward: Diverting People with Mental Illness from Inhumane and Expensive Jails into Community-Based Treatment that Works”
Stephanie O’Neill, KPCC healthcare correspondent. Her series on police and the mentally ill can be found HERE.
'The Wrecking Crew' filmmaker & keyboardist on unsung pioneers of west coast sound
Would it surprise you to know that session musicians, not just official band members, recorded the famous "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys or "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & The Papas?
If not, then it's likely you know The Wrecking Crew were a motley group of musicians who helped create "west coast sound" of the 1960s and 70s. A new documentary by Denny Tedesco, son of late Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco, is an educational, entertaining and musically rich labor of love that promises to become a classic primer on this fantastic chapter of American music.
"The Wrecking Crew" opens in Los Angeles this Friday, March 13 at the Nuart Theatre.
Guests:
Denny Tedesco, Producer & Director of “The Wrecking Crew” documentary (Magnolia Pictures); son of legendary late Wrecking Crew guitarist, Tommy Tedesco
Don Randi, Keyboardist of The Wrecking Crew & owner of the Studio City jazz club, The Baked Potato