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BULLETIN SUPREME COURT COURT RULING RULING SUPREME ADDRESSES PARALLEL PARALLEL IMPORTS IMPORTS ADDRESSES recent U. U. S. S. Supreme Supreme Court Courtruling rulingin in the the case case of ofQualiQualiAArecent ty King Distributors vs. 1:Anza Research International inty King Distributors vs. L'Anza Research International inof hair care products may volving the parallel importation volving the parallel importation of hair care products may have cleared clearedthe the way way for for legal legal importation importation of ofparallel parallel video video have 1:Anza sold the products overseas at a lower price games. games. L'Anza sold the products overseas at a lower price They were were re-imported re-imported and and sold sold again againin in than domestically. domestically. They than the United States by a distributor from Malta. the United States by a distributor from Malta. "Once the the copyright copyright owner owner places places aa copyrighted copyrighted item item in in "Once ofcommerce commerce by by selling selling it, it, he he has has exhausted exhausted his his the stream stream of the disb·ibution,"Justice Justice exclusive statutory statutoryright rightto to control control its its distribution," exclusive John Paul Stevens wrote for the high court in a unanimous John Paul Stevens wrote for the high court in a unanimous decision. However, However,some some legal legal experts experts say say the the ruling rulingmay may decision. not directly directly address address aa core core issue issue when when considering consideringintellecintellecnot tualproperty property such such as as video video games games and and the the right right to to publicly publicly tual perform that product. perform that product. think there's there'smore more in in terms terms of ofspirit spirit or or intent intent in in the the rulrul"I"I think ing," said Brad Brown of Worldwide Video Entertainment, ing," said Brad Brown of Worldwide Video Entertainment, who settled settled aa trademark b·ademark dispute dispute last last year year with with Sega Sega EnterEnterwho prises over overthe the artwork artwork sold sold with with aaparallel parallel import. import. "There "There prises may be belingering lingering issues issues such such as aspublic publicperformance, performance, but but II may believe the spirit of the decision is pro-free trade." believe the spirit of the decision is pro-free trade." AMOA's point pointman man on on the the parallel parallel issue, issue, Bill Bill Beckham Beckham of of AMOA's Red Baron Amusement, said he hoped the decision would Red Baron Amusement, said he hoped the decision would promptmanufacturers manufacturers to to compete compete in in the the marketplace marketplace in in lieu lieu prompt offiling filing legal legal action action against against parallel parallelimports. imports. However, However, BeckBeckof ham added added that that AMOA's AMOA's legal legal counsel counsel wanted wanted to to examine examine ham the opinion more thoroughly before rendering an opinion. the opinion more thoroughly before rendering an opinion. MIDWAY GAMES GAMES BUYS BUYS RIGHTS RIGHTS MIDWAY WMS Industries Industries and andMidway Midway Games, Games, 86.7 86.7 percent percent of of WMS is owned owned by by WMS, WMS, has has purchased purchased distribution distribution rights rights which is which for all all future future releases releases of ofits itspersonal personal computer computergames gamesin inNorth North for GT Interactive Software. Midway America and Japan from America and Japan from GT Interactive Software. Midway granted these these distribution distribution rights rights to to GT GT Interactive Interactivein in 1995 1995 granted when the company was focusing on its role in the console when the company was focusing on its role in the console game market. market. In In the the last lastyear, year, GT GT expressed expressed an an interest interestin in game publishing gan1es for a coin-op or out-of-home PC platform. publishing games for a coin-op or out-of-home PC platform. and aa continuation continuation of ofaffordable affordable non-member non-member trade trade show show and at the close of the four-day meetregistration fees. However, registration fees. However, at the close of the four-day meeting members members of ofthe the board board were were still still working workingon on final final wordwording ofaa mission mission statement statementthat thatwill will help help define define the the board's board's ing of ing direction in the future. "There's nothing radical in change direction in the future. "There's nothing radical in change proposed,"said said AMOA AMOA executive executive director directorJim Jim Weir. Weir. "It "It beingproposed," being just comes comes down down to to wordsmithing." wordsmithing." just Another concern concern of ofboard board members members was was the the need need to to enenAnother the part of board memcourage more volunteer work on courage more volunteer work on the part of board memthat was wasprompted prompted as as much much by by last last bers, although although Weir Weir said said that bers, year's decision not to downsize the board as it was by budyear's decision not to downsize the board as it was by bud"It's not not being being done done in in any any crisis crisis mode," mode," he he getary concerns. concerns. "It's getary said. "We heard from board members that they wanted to said. "We heard from board members that they wanted to no question question we we are are driving drivingthe the budbudget involved. involved. But But there's there's no get real hard hard as as well. well. We We need need to to continually continually refocus refocus our ourreregetreal get both our our money money and and our our talents." talents." sources meaning meaning both sources AMOAfirst first vice vice president president and andincoming incomingpresident president Jim Jim AMOA Stansfield said he would like to hold next year's mid-year Stansfield said he would like to hold next year's mid-year boardmeeting meeting in in Las Las Vegas Vegasjust justprior prior to to the the ASI ASI show. show. Past Past board president Russ Russ Mawdsley Mawdsley suggested suggested the the idea, idea, Stansfield Stansfield said. said. president full coverage on page 170.) (For more on the meeting, see (For more on the meeting, see full coverage on page 170.) TOBACCO VENDING VENDING CALL CALL TO TO ACTION ACTION TOBACCO In aa fax fax to to all all AMOA AMOA members, members,association association tobacco tobacco comcomIn mittee chairmen chairmen Terry Terry Davis Davis and and Mark Mark Levine Levine urged urged operaoperamittee ofthe the Senate Senate and and torslate late last last month month to to contact contact members members of tors House Commerce committees in an effort to include a buyHouse Commerce committees in an effort to include a buyout of vendors' cigarette machines in any pending tobacco out of vendors' cigarette machines in any pending tobacco "Theyneed need to to support supportthe the ban ban on on cigarette cigarette vendvendlegislation."They legislation. ing machines machines and and also also support supportcompensation compensation for for the the indusindusing try," they they wrote. wrote. "Do "Do not not be be lulled lulled into into accepting accepting the the FDA FDA try," position of allowing us in adult-only locations." For more inposition of allowing us in adult-only locations." For more inAMOA,(800)937-2662. (800)937-2662. (For (Formore more on on formation,contact contactAMOA, formation, the issue, issue, see see coverage coverage of ofthe the AMOA AMOA board board of ofdirectors' directors' the meeting inside.) meeting inside.) PREMIER DATA DATA DEVELOPS DEVELOPS WINDOWS WINDOWS PREMIER INTERFACE FOR ROCK-OLA INTERFACE FOR ROCK-OLA Premier Data Data Corp. Corp. and and Rock-Ola Rock-Ola Corp. Corp. recently recently debuted debuted Premier a Windows-based software interface for the latter's Autoa Windows-based software interface for the latter's Automatic Telecommunications Telecommunications Systems. Systems. This This advancement advancement propromatic ofjukeboxes jukeboxes vides aa graphical graphical interface interface for for Rock-Ola's Rock-Ola's line line of vides and allows allows operators operatorsto to monitor monitortheir theirroute routeusing usingaaWinWinand "ATS revolutionized the industry and dows-based computer. dows-based computer. "ATS revolutionized the industry and the Premier Data software brings this revolution to the operthe Premier Data software brings this revolution to the operator's desktop," desktop," said said Rock-Ola Rock-Olapresident president Glenn Glenn Streeter." Streeter." ator's Software functions include automatic audit and populariSoftware functions include automatic audit and populariof jukebox errors, and operators ty reports, as well as notice ty reports, as well as notice of jukebox errors, and operators and troubleshoot troubleshoot each each machine machine can make makeprogram program changes changes and can The software software will will be be available available on on June June 11 from their their office. office. The from for $395, $395, plus plus aa $20 $20 per permonth month service service fee fee that thatcovers covers all all for and future updates. For more infortechnical support calls technical support calls and future updates. For more information, call call (800)720-3282. (800)720-3282. mation, AMOA BOARD BOARD RETHINKS RETHINKS OJBECTIVES OJBECTIVES AMOA In aa soul-searching soul-searchingmid-year mid-yearboard board meeting meeting that thatproproIn ofcontroversial controversialproposals, proposals, AMOA AMOA dididuced little little in in the the way way of duced number of ofmeasures measures aimed aimed at at increasing increasing rectors approved approved aa number rectors membership and and trade trade show show attendees attendees but butleft left without without aa fifimembership nal draft draft of ofthe the mission mission statement statementthat thattook took up up much much of ofthe the nal directors' time. time. The The last last two two mid-year mid-yearboard board meetings meetings have have directors' producedproposals proposals for forrestructuring restructuring first first the the association association produced the board itself. trade show and then trade show and then the board itself. This year's year's meeting meeting generated generatedproposals proposals that that directors directors This hope will bolster operator participation including $25 rerehope will bolster operator participation including aa $25 turn to to each each state state association associationififits its members members also also join join AMOA AMOA turn Pl!AY,METER METEfl PLAY ~. 33 «':.. APRIL 1998 •