Kuku FM resolves copyright infringement case with Pocket FM

The highly publicised copyright infringement dispute involving the audio streaming service Kuku FM and rival Pocket FM has been resolved.
Almost seven months ago, Pocket FM filed a complaint with the Delhi High Court alleging that Kuku FM had violated copyright laws by distributing audio summaries of a few books that the former owned the exclusive rights to.
On December 16, 2022, the contract was signed, and on December 21, 2022, it was filed with the court. Kuku FM has consented to remove the programming that Pocket FM has the exclusive right to distribute as part of the settlement.
As part of the agreement, Kuku FM will also drop its lawsuit for copyright infringement against Pocket FM relating to a book on the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. It is important to remember that the Delhi High Court found in Kuku FM's favour in this specific case and ordered Pocket FM to remove the audiobook from its platform.
The ruling "reaffirms the rights of the publishing and author communities" and "serves as a reminder of the necessity of protecting intellectual property," according to a statement from Pocket FM.
Bestsellers like Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Poor Dad," Jay Shetty's "Think Like A Monk," and Deepak Bajaj's "Be A Network Marketing Millionaire" are at the centre of the drama.
The exclusive audio rights to the aforementioned books were purchased by Pocket FM from the publisher Manjul Publishing House in a contract finalised last year. It is important to remember that Manjul Publishing House was in charge of these publications' Hindi rights.
In order to stop Kuku FM from posting book summaries and infringing on its exclusive rights, Pocket FM filed a lawsuit against the latter in May of last year. With the agreement being signed, the legal dispute now seems to be over.
The market has evolved over the last few years from merely offering music streaming to including other services like podcasts and audiobooks. In recent years, the area has grown even more due to the percolation of vernacular content.
In order to strengthen their position in the media and entertainment sector, brands have expanded to target additional groups even though the space primarily serves high-income households.
Kuku FM serves to vernacular consumers across various content types and audiences with programming currently available in seven languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam. The audio platform received $21.8 Mn in funding in September of last year from a round of investors headed by Fundamentum Partnership.
By 2023, the overall music, radio, and podcast market in India is anticipated to generate $1.17 billion in sales, according to Statista. By 2027, this amount is projected to increase even more, reaching $1.34 billion by 2027.