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CNN Live At Daybreak

Hip-Hop Granny: Lawsuit Versus 66-Year-Old Grandmother Dropped

Aired September 25, 2003 - 06:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well time now for a little business buzz. The recording industry was trying to sue a grandmother for downloading more than 2,000 rap and hip-hop songs, but there was no evidence that grandma was getting jiggy with it.
Let's get this story and some other tech talk from Carrie Lee in New York.

Get out of here. Come on.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You know this all looks like it was a case of mistaken identity, Carol, so the recording industry has dropped the case against this woman. According to published reports, her name is Sarah Seabury Ward. She's a 66-year- old sculptor. She's also a grandmother who resides in Newbury, Massachusetts.

Now the recording industry claims that she illegally shared the song "I'mA Thug" by rapper Trick Daddy as well as over 2,000 other songs. Well she says she never even downloaded the software sharing program. Plus, she uses a Macintosh computer. And the software that the RIAA said she was using, Kaza (ph), can't run on a Mac.

Now remember, she was one of 261 defendants being sued by the recording industry. Now it's looking like this was all a case of mistaken identity. Hers is the only lawsuit that's been withdrawn so far. More potentially could follow. It really looks like this questions the overall validity behind the whole lawsuit. That's what some people are saying, anyway.

And then just quickly I want to shift gears. Dell, the computer company, now unveiling plans to expand its horizon, getting into consumer electronics. They're going to start to sell things like flat screen televisions on their popular Web site. Also opening an online music downloading store. So just like we saw from Hewlett-Packard and Gateway, Dell expanding its horizons, getting into other areas, trying to stay competitive -- Carol.

LIN: All right, hopefully more options and cheaper prices.

Carrie, how are the markets shaping up so far today?

LEE: You know we saw a lot of selling yesterday. The Dow down about 150 points at the close. The Nasdaq down 58 points. That's a loss of just over 3 percent, by the way, the biggest point drop we've seen in the Nasdaq in over a year. This morning, though, looks like we could see a rebound. We'll get some economic reports coming out, durable goods orders, jobless claims that could shape trading. One stock to watch, Eastman Kodak, one of the Dow 30 components. They are unveiling a strategy shift today getting away from traditional film and more and more into digital products. That's where the market is going.

LIN: You bet.

LEE: That's what people are using, digital cameras, so.

LIN: Yes, staying with the times. All right, thanks, Carrie.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





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Aired September 25, 2003 - 06:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well time now for a little business buzz. The recording industry was trying to sue a grandmother for downloading more than 2,000 rap and hip-hop songs, but there was no evidence that grandma was getting jiggy with it.
Let's get this story and some other tech talk from Carrie Lee in New York.

Get out of here. Come on.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You know this all looks like it was a case of mistaken identity, Carol, so the recording industry has dropped the case against this woman. According to published reports, her name is Sarah Seabury Ward. She's a 66-year- old sculptor. She's also a grandmother who resides in Newbury, Massachusetts.

Now the recording industry claims that she illegally shared the song "I'mA Thug" by rapper Trick Daddy as well as over 2,000 other songs. Well she says she never even downloaded the software sharing program. Plus, she uses a Macintosh computer. And the software that the RIAA said she was using, Kaza (ph), can't run on a Mac.

Now remember, she was one of 261 defendants being sued by the recording industry. Now it's looking like this was all a case of mistaken identity. Hers is the only lawsuit that's been withdrawn so far. More potentially could follow. It really looks like this questions the overall validity behind the whole lawsuit. That's what some people are saying, anyway.

And then just quickly I want to shift gears. Dell, the computer company, now unveiling plans to expand its horizon, getting into consumer electronics. They're going to start to sell things like flat screen televisions on their popular Web site. Also opening an online music downloading store. So just like we saw from Hewlett-Packard and Gateway, Dell expanding its horizons, getting into other areas, trying to stay competitive -- Carol.

LIN: All right, hopefully more options and cheaper prices.

Carrie, how are the markets shaping up so far today?

LEE: You know we saw a lot of selling yesterday. The Dow down about 150 points at the close. The Nasdaq down 58 points. That's a loss of just over 3 percent, by the way, the biggest point drop we've seen in the Nasdaq in over a year. This morning, though, looks like we could see a rebound. We'll get some economic reports coming out, durable goods orders, jobless claims that could shape trading. One stock to watch, Eastman Kodak, one of the Dow 30 components. They are unveiling a strategy shift today getting away from traditional film and more and more into digital products. That's where the market is going.

LIN: You bet.

LEE: That's what people are using, digital cameras, so.

LIN: Yes, staying with the times. All right, thanks, Carrie.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





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