A Canadian superior court judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Blockbuster’s extended viewing fee policy, the rental chain said. Superior Court Judge Jacques Fournier, Quebec, ruled that Alberto Buonamici’s claim of exploitation didn’t “correspond to commercial reality,” Blockbuster said. Noting that Blockbuster has extended the initial rental period since the suit was filed in Canada in 2001, Fournier said it was “ironic” that Blockbuster should “today be penalized for having offered more than it was before.” Fournier was referring to Blockbuster’s decision in 1996-97 to extend rental periods at its stores from 6 p.m. to midnight, Blockbuster spokesman said. Blockbuster operates 413 stores in Canada. A similar case remains pending in the U.S. While a preliminary agreement was reached in 2001 calling for Blockbuster to pay up to $9.25 million in court and attorneys fees and provide free rentals and discounts to settle class action suit, it was never finalized and remains pending in Texas Superior Court. A Cal. Superior Court judge in a separate decision issued in March 2003 ruled that Blockbuster’s extended viewing fees were fair, adequately disclosed and within the customers’ control.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its preliminary results of the following antidumping (AD) duty administrative reviews:
Videogame accessory maker Intec said that after filing a lawsuit in U.S. Dist. Court, Baltimore, this past summer against Gamers Factory for patent infringement of its 5.4” PS2 mobile screen, its rival agreed to stop selling a competing screen. Intec had also filed a motion for preliminary injunction, seeking to enjoin the sale of Gamers Factory’s Precision 5” Game Screen for PS2. Gamers Factory didn’t respond to a request for comment by our deadline. But Intec said that, in response to its preliminary injunction motion, Gamers Factory said it will no longer make, use, sell, or import the accused device. Intec also said Gamers Factory CFO Rodney Hillman indicated his company had “no intention of purchasing either more accused devices or units of similar design to the accused device.”
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated a new shipper review for the antidumping (AD) duty order on certain preserved mushrooms from China with respect to the following company, as producer/exporter, and review period:
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its final results of the changed circumstances antidumping (AD) duty review of structural steel beams from Japan, concluding that Yamato Steel Co., Ltd. (Yamato Steel) is the successor-in-interest to Yamato Kogyo Co. Ltd. (Yamato Kogyo).
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued the final results of the following antidumping (AD) duty administrative reviews of heavy forged hand tools, finished or unfinished, with or without handles (heavy forged hand tools) from China for the period of February 1, 2002 through January 31, 2003.
Fox Home Entertainment’s Man on Fire was the #1- rented DVD in the U.S. for the week ended Sept. 19, Rentrak said its preliminary Home Video Essentials data showed. In its first full week available, the title earned $9.92 million on DVD, for $10.02 million to date. Last week’s top-rented DVD -- Lions Gate’s The Punisher -- dropped to #2 ($5.41 million in the week, $12.93 million to date). The only other new DVDs in the top 10 were Warner Home Video’s Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed at #3 ($4.52 million and $4.57 million) and Disney’s Home on the Range at #8 ($2.38 million and $2.40 million).
The European Commission (EC) launched a study of information on the allocation, availability and use of radio spectrum in Europe, it said Thurs. Results of the study -- which is being carried out by Idate, Aegis and Bird & Bird -- could form the basis for future EC action. Analysts have been asked to look at what types of information are available on the spectrum issues; survey interested parties to see if that information is sufficient for appropriate decisionmaking or if more is needed; analyze how existing laws serve the purpose of providing spectrum information; and recommend additional legislation if needed, the EC said. The survey team will unveil preliminary conclusions and recommendations at a Dec. 1 workshop in Brussels, the Commission said.
The PS2 version of Madden NFL 2005 from Electronic Arts (EA) was yet again the #1-rented videogame in the U.S. for the week ended Sept. 19, Rentrak said its preliminary Home Video Essentials data showed. In its 6th week available, the title earned an additional $336,514 on PS2, for $2.67 million to date. The Xbox version of the game dropped one notch to #8 ($157,466 in the week, $1.28 million to date). EA dominated the week and had 4 other SKUs in the top 10: Burnout 3: Takedown for PS2 at #2 (up 3, 2nd week, $265,923 and $463,660), NCAA Football 2005 for PS2 at #4 (down one, 10th week, $202,588 and $2.95 million), Burnout 3 for Xbox at #6 ($159,685 and $280,895) and NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup for PS2 at #7 (up one, 3rd week, $159,021 and $459,084). In its first week available, Microsoft’s Fable for Xbox was #10 ($149,580 and $149,723). Rounding out the top 10 were all PS2 games: Activision’s Spider-Man 2 at #3 (down one, 12th week, $215,919 and $6.09 million), Namco’s Street Racing Syndicate at #5 (up one, 3rd week, $180,406 and $398,354) and Atari’s DRIV3R at #9 (down 5, 13th week, $153,908 and $4.59 million).
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated an antidumping (AD) duty changed circumstances review of polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet, and strip (PET Film) from India at the request of Jindal Poly Films Limited (Jindal Poly Films).