Do we need better copyright?
You might think that having lobbied successfully over the last 50 years to get the copyright period extended from 28 years in 1964 to up to 90 years today, that companies such as NBC, News Corp., Disney, Time Warner and Microsoft would be happy enough. But no. They have formed a new organisation this week called Copyright Alliance with the aim of “promoting the value of copyright as an agent for creativity, jobs, and growth.”
The focus of the new organisation is clearly going to be on getting existing copyright laws strengthened and supporting enforcement of existing laws, as you might expect. Here’s a quote from their website:
Have you ever heard somebody say, “Of course, we want to see artists get paid,” and then they follow that with a phrase beginning with “but”? Generally the “but” and what follows it, implies a belief that copyright protections are not really important any more. That belief can begin to erode or even eliminate the intellectual property rights accorded to creators in the U.S. Constitution and through global treaties.Come on guys stop trying to fool us. How many artists are still around after 90 years to collect their copyright fees, and how much does a relatively unknown artist get for each copy of a CD sold? So who does copyright ultimately benefit the most?