Tik… Tok… / Shyamalan Victory / South Park / much more – Entertainment Law Update 176



MUSICARES, Grammys, others offering help to music industry workers affected by L.A. Wildfires

(Not affected? Please Donate)

MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of the Recording Academy, has launched the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to support music professionals affected by the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. They have pledged an initial $1 million, which has been distributed to provide immediate assistance to those in need.

The organization offers short-term disaster relief, including grants of up to $1,500, to help with essentials such as food, shelter, and medical expenses. Music industry workers who have experienced significant personal losses, including damage to homes or essential equipment, are encouraged to apply for assistance.

If you or someone you know in the music industry has been impacted by the wildfires, MusiCares is available to provide support. You can apply for assistance through their website. musicares.org

In addition to MusiCares’ efforts, the Recording Academy has announced that the 67th annual Grammy Awards will proceed as scheduled on February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This year’s ceremony will focus on raising additional funds for wildfire relief and honoring the bravery of first responders.

The music community has also rallied to support those affected by organizing benefit concerts. For instance, the “I Love LA” concert, scheduled for February 8 at Glendale Presbyterian Church, will feature artists such as Andrew Bird, Bright Eyes, and Kevin Morby, with proceeds going to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.


EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode, we dive into the latest entertainment law developments, starting with the ever-changing fate of TikTok’s ban. They also discuss newly public domain works, M. Night Shyamalan’s copyright victory, and the ongoing trademark battle to keep “MOKE” from becoming generic. Paramount faces a legal setback in its South Park dispute, while AI-related cases continue to shape the industry.

In our AI Corner, we break down Anthropic’s licensing deal with song publishers, the Minnesota Deepfake Challenge’s legal hurdles, and a new DMCA exemption for ice cream machines. Plus, we explore the implications of Loper Bright on the Copyright Office’s authority and whether AI-generated works truly lack copyright protection. Don’t miss this packed episode full of critical updates and expert insights!


TIKTOK BANNED, UNBANNED(?), FINAL DETERMINATION UNKNOWN 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/17/titktok-ban-supreme-court-decision-ruling

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-656_ca7d.pdf

https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/01/supreme-court-upholds-tiktok-ban/

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/nx-s1-5258396/supreme-court-upholds-tiktok-ban

New (old) works have fallen” into the public domain 

https://www.marketplace.org/2024/12/25/public-domain-2025-heminway-farewell-to-arms-popeye/

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2025

https://copyrightlately.com/public-domain-2025

https://www.loc.gov/collections/national-jukebox/about-this-collection

SHYAMALAN PREVAILS IN SHOWING NO ACCESS AND NO INFRINGEMENT FOR COPYRIGHT DISPUTE 

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/m-night-shyamalan-cleared-servant-lawsuit-trial-1235246451

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/m-night-shyamalan-innocent-copyright-servant-jury-rules-1236285591

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25505982/servant-verdict.pdf

MOKE SURVIVES GENERICIDE (FOR NOW) 

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/23-1634/23-1634-2025-01-15.html

PARAMOUNT SET BACK IN SOUTH PARK SUMMARY JUDGMENT 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/south-park-streaming-rights-standoff-warner-bros-discovery-wins-ruling-clearing-way-for-trial-1236115255

https://www.scribd.com/document/818959006/WBD-v-paramount

AI CORNER

Anthropic Makes an Agreement with Song Publishers 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/anthropic-enforce-copyright-guardrails-ai-tools-1236098152

Minnesota Deepfake Challenge Continues past Injunction

https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2025/01/court-denies-preliminary-injunction-against-minnesotas-anti-deepfakes-law-kohls-v-ellison.htm

LOPER BRIGHT-What can the Copyright Office Do? 

Copyright office Permits DMCA exemption for ice cream machines 

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/we-all-scream-for-ice-cream-dmca-7636285

Are AI works really unprotected? 

https://www.dbllawyers.com/are-text-prompt-commands-to-ai-enough-to-show-creative-human-authorship-part-1

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/ai-generated-artwork-colorado-state-fair-copyright-decision-reversal-appeal-1234719694

https://www.ddg.fr/actualite/aritificial-intelligence-ai-and-protection-of-creations-the-return-match-of-the-jason-allen-case#:~:text=Allen%20challenges%20the%20primary%20argument,creating%20the%20AI%2Dgenerated%20image.