Studios Claim Adelphia Infringed Copyrights

Hollywood’s major film and TV studios sued cable TV operator Adelphia Communications Corp., accusing it of failing to pay for airing TV shows like Major League Baseball coverage and movies such as “Bull Durham.”

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, compounds troubles at Adelphia, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2002 after defaulting on some $7 billion in bank loans.

The Motion Picture Assn. of America, the Washington trade group that represents the studios, said Adelphia had infringed the copyrights of the studios by transmitting programs without paying royalty fees that were due as far back as Aug. 29, 2002.

A spokesman for Denver-based Adelphia was not immediately available for comment.