DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SHUTS DOWN TELEVISION STATION

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002448 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/EPSC,ED/TPP/IPE; DEPT PASS USTR; USDOC FOR USPTO (BOLAND) DEPT PASS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS FOR COPYRIGHT OFFICE WHITE HOUSE FOR USTR FOR R. VARGO, A. MALITO, B. PECK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIPR ETRD EINV DR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SHUTS DOWN TELEVISION STATION BECAUSE OF VIDEO PIRACY REF: SANTO DOMINGO 1861 ¶1. On April 27 the District Attorney's Office raided the headquarters of Dominican television station Virus, located in Santiago, the country's second largest city. Officials confiscated four hard drives containing video material along with hardware necessary for the station to broadcast. Virus is now off the air. This is the first case in the Dominican Republic where an investigation into broadcast piracy has closed a station. Itis a promising development for enforcement of intellectual property laws. ¶2. According to Jaime Angeles, attorney and local representative of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA),the court did not order Virus's transmissions suspended but rather authorized the DA's raid to obtain evidence that Virus was broadcasting pirated material. Officials confiscated equipment and left the station unable to broadcast. It is unclear whether Virus will remain off the air indefinitely. ¶3. Angeles believes that Dominican officials are beginning to engage against television broadcast piracy. He expects that the District Attorney will soon search other tations, including channel 5 Telemicro, and channel 15 Digital 15(reftel). Angeles was very pleased with both the Ministry of Justice and telecommunications authority INDOTEL for new efforts. KUBISKE