Membership - Venue

As a restaurant, lounge/bar, function hall or owner of any other facility where karaoke shows are offered to the public, under secondary liability theories such as lawsuits filed as vicarious contributors, you have a relatively high level of legal exposure as a contributory infringer the consequences of which can be devastating.

While the KIAA cannot insure against all legal exposures, for example such as those brought by ASCAP, BMI or SESAC for performance rights violations, we can provide you with blanket protection from karaoke labels when using KIAA member hosts and can also provide you with some tools that may help protect you in the event a KIAA member host is unavailable.

We live in a very litigious time and intellectual property litigation is increasingly becoming more prevalent than it ever was in the past. It would be seemingly unwise to place your investments in land, building, and other hard assets (i.e. inventory, fixtures etc.) in jeopardy, as well as your entire business. In some localities there may even be a risk of losing your liquor license resulting from a contributory infringement complaint resulting from the use of a non-member KJ host or karaoke company that is using unauthorized music.

You can help protect your venue by joining the KIAA and by insuring that you only employ KIAA member KJs and karaoke companies whenever possible. When doing so, you greatly reduce your risk of being named in a contributory infringement lawsuit by KIAA member labels. KIAA member labels have all agreed as part of their membership terms to not file legal complaints against KIAA member venues when that venue is using a KIAA member KJ or karaoke hosting company.

This of course would also be contingent upon the fact that the venue would not have conspired in any way or had any direct knowledge of any illegal activities being engaged in by the KJ host or karaoke company or that the use of unauthorized content was knowingly being used in the conducting of the karaoke performance(s) or had any reason to believe that such activities were being conducted on premise.

When Hiring a KJ Host or Karaoke Company:

When a karaoke show is performed on premise there are varying levels of exposure depending on a number of different circumstances. It is prudent to insist that the KJ host or hosting company use only authorized products. It's important that you have a frank discussion with your KJ host or karaoke company and make it clear that you will not tolerate KJ hosts or karaoke companies that have libraries or catalogs of unauthorized or illegally copied or downloaded music.

The best way to insure that of course is to hire a KIAA member whenever possible. When this is not possible, you should at the very least insist that the KJ host or karaoke company, sign an indemnification form that was provided to you with your sign-up membership kit.

For venues that use an in-house system:

Much of the above applies here as well. However there is an even greater risk to the venue as in this case any infringements will not be considered “contributory”, and in addition will most likely be viewed as “willful”. In this case there is even more reason for a venue to join the KIAA and insure that the in-house systems are in full compliance with the terms as set forth by the KIAA.

The annual KIAA membership fee for a Venue is $100.

By clicking the "Join The KIAA" button below, I agree to the Terms & Conditions of membership.