RCA Manufacturing Co. v. Whiteman

RCA Manufacturing Company (plaintiff) produced and, with bandleader Paul Whiteman's (defendant) consent, sold to the public records of Whiteman's orchestra performances; W.B.O. Broadcasting Corporation (WBO) (also a defendant) bought some of these records and played them over the radio, prompting RCA to sue to enjoin the broadcasts, claiming the airplay violated RCA's common-law property rights in the records. The district court agreed RCA retained the necessary rights and granted an injunction; Whiteman and WBO appealed.