Top Recording Media Execs Announce Cross Industry Support Of International Anti-Piracy Certification/Compliance Program

IRMA Program Dedicated To Protecting The Rights Of Record Labels, Movie Studios And Business/Game Software Content Holders

23-May-00

The International Recording Media Association (IRMA), representing the worldís leading replicators of optical media, in conjunction with the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) announced the overwhelming support across the motion picture, recording and software industries for the first international Anti-Piracy Certification/Compliance Program. This initiative, developed with input from the IDSA, MPA, Business Software Alliance, International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, Recording Industry Association of America and the Software & Information Industry Association, establishes the standards to help manufacturers reduce the publishing of pirated material.At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), top anti-piracy executives announced their support of the program, awarded plaques to the first certified plants and encouraged all manufacturers to participate in the program.""The widespread support of the major associations devoted to protecting the rights of their members shows the dedication across industries to take this important step in reducing the inadvertent replication of unauthorized CDs and DVDs,"" said Charles Van Horn, President, IRMA. ""For the first time, content providers will be able to identify those replicators that are protecting their interests by complying with stringent manufacturing and operational procedures.""The major motion picture, music, business and gaming software associations participated in the creation of the program to further protect their membersí valuable copyrights.""The motion picture industry strongly supports this program which provides an initial step in detecting and controlling optical disc piracy at the replication level,"" said Ken Jacobsen, Senior Vice President and Director, Worldwide Anti-Piracy, MPA. ""The MPA is pleased to have assisted in the development of these standards, and is encouraged by the rapid adoption of the program by both domestic and international replicators.""Modeled after the ISO 9000 Program, these procedures specify a series of international standards for quality management and quality assurance. Building on these original specifications, the IRMA Anti-Piracy Compliance Program contains sector specific guidelines for the optical media industry regarding anti-piracy. Through internal audits and regularly scheduled surveillance, IRMA will be able to uphold these standards.""These standards are an important step towards a reduction in the manufacture of pirated optical discs,"" said Ric Hirsch, Senior Vice President, Intellectual Property Enforcement, IDSA. ""We strongly encourage replicators all over the world to adopt and implement the IRMA program standards as a means of addressing optical disc piracy.""At the announcement, Philip Clement, Vice President and member of the executive committee, IRMA, and Hirsch presented representatives from the first two certified plants - Henning Jorgensen, Division President, Universal Music Group Manufacturing and Logistics, Inc., and Dave Rubenstein, President and CEO, Cinram U.S. Holdings with Certificates of Compliance. Clement also announced that 4M in Switzerland is in the midst of its initial audit phase, with certification expected sometime in the next few weeks. Nine other plants in North America and Europe have also applied for acceptance in the program.The International Recording Media Association is the advocate for the $17 billion worldwide recording media industry, representing all recording media formats, and providing a forum for the exchange of management information on global trends and innovations.