Arbitron Sues Saga for Unauthorized Data Use

In a legal filing, US ratings giant Arbitron has claimed that radio broadcaster Saga Communications has infringed its copyrights by reproducing and distributing Arbitron audience estimates without authorization.

Arbitron's estimates are used to determine ad rates, make programming decisions and decide staff compensation and bonus arrangements. According to the suit, lodged in the US District Court for the District of Delaware, between 2010 and 2012 Saga's management and employees obtained copies of Arbitron's copyrighted audience estimates and used these for setting advertising rates at the broadcaster's various radio stations. Arbitron alleges that the use of this copyrighted material was so widespread, that station personnel coined the phrase the 'Arbitron Bonus', to describe how staff pay bonuses were determined according to how well a specific radio program performed in the illegally obtained audience estimates.

Arbitron is now seeking damages of at least $150k per infringement, as well as attorney's fees, costs, and 'an award of enhanced damages'.

Web site: www.arbitron.com .