RealNetworks Files Pre-Emptive Lawsuit Against Studios; RealDVD Software Causing Rift

(PaidContent.org)  This story was written by Rafat Ali.

---

Always trust Rob Glaser to stir the pot, even if in the end Steve Job ends up taking the credit for everything. RealNetworks (NSDQ: RNWK) has filed a pre-emptive lawsuit against major studios, in an attempt to ward off any attempts to stop the launch of its DVD ripping software RealDVD, which launched in open beta today. In a statement, the company said that it is asking for "declaratory judgment against DVD Copy Control Association, Inc., Disney (NYSE: DIS) Enterprises, Inc., Paramount Pictures Corp., Sony (NYSE: SNE) Pictures Entertainment, Inc., Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., NBC Universal (NYSE: GE), Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., and Viacom (NYSE: VIA), Inc., in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.  The lawsuit asks the court to rule that RealNetworks Home Entertainment, Inc.'s RealDVD software, made available to consumers today at http://www.realdvd.com, fully complies with the DVD Copy Control Association's license agreement.

More to come