This is a shocking display of elitism and lack of ethical behaviour
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7778064.stmCulture minister Andy Burnham has said the government has changed its mind on allowing performers to make money from their music for 70 years. Performers currently lose the copyright to their recordings after 50 years.
"It's only right that someone who created or contributed to something of real value gets to benefit for the full course of their life," he said.
Sir Cliff Richard and Roger Daltrey were among those who have campaigned for copyright to be extended.
Geoff Taylor, the chief executive of the British Phonographic Industry, said he was "delighted" the government was considering the extension.
He said: "Copyright stimulates investment in musical talent and encourages innovation.
"Thousands of recording artists, hundreds of music companies and all British music fans will benefit from a fairer copyright term."
However, intellectual property solicitor Gregor Grant, of law law firm Marks & Clerk, said: "Any victory will be felt by big-name artists who tend to benefit the most from royalty fees.
"For the contribution they make to UK music, they are already more than adequately protected. The real innovation - the creation of musical content and lyrics - is already protected for the lifetime of the composer and a further 70 years."
As usual much talk is made about the artist who in reality is not the main beneficiary of the move above but the record companies who these artists are signed to, the artist will get 10% approximately and so this whole arguement is flawed and frivolous, what annoys me as an ordinary member of the public is the belief that a singer who has been paid for their work throughout their lifetime should be given prefferential treatment over the rest of us who live on considerably less and likley do more for our fellow man than any of these artists, why should they be given special treatment ?
It seems all folks being equal is not something the government believes in, if your a record company and offer donations your more equal than those members of the public who will be picking up the tab for this fraud on the UK populace, I dont often say this but its my belief this move is immoral and wrong and thus not worthy of our respect, 50 years for a singer is plenty of years for them to recoup their 1 hours worth of work, and remember folks we are not talking the musicians or song writers here who actually "create" the songs, just the singer who sang the song, is this something worthy of imposing a 20 year financial penallty on the public for above the 50 years their already getting paid for it ?
Copyright law is a deal between the creators and the public, when a work falls into the public domain its been paid for by the public for the set time period, changing this deal to fatten up a few recording industry executives and millionaire fading rockstars is theft from the public.
If your as angry at this theft as I am let your MP know, hopefully they have not all taken corrupt donations from the recording industry.
