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Will March 23 mark the day corporate music vultures succeed in having their cake, eating it, buttering it on both sides and putting jam on it as well, to mix metaphors? That’s the date the European Parliament is set to vote on extending the copyright term for sound recordings. And it’s the date Vivendi Universal (France), Sony BMG (Japan and Germany), EMI (Britain), and Warner Music (US) expect to continue their complete and total domination of the world of music. However, key European experts opposing the extension have released a new letter to MEPs warning of the dangers, says Sound Copyright.A ‘ridiculous cultural aberration’Copyright, “suspends what would otherwise be a musician’s natural liberty to build upon others’ published work,” said Crosbie Fitch recently, going on, “I think that is not only questionable, but highly unethical. Unfortunately, it’s the most I can do to convince people to at least question this state of affairs. “The elders among us have simply grown up with the idea that it’s wrong to share and build upon each other’s published work without obtaining permission first. One day this will be looked back on as a ridiculous cultural aberration.” Copyright is a, “form of intellectual property which gives the creator of an original work exclusive rights for a certain time period in relation to that work, including its publication, distribution and adaptation; after which time the work is said to enter the public domain,” says the Wikipedia [our emphasis], p2pnet said on Wednesday. But, says Henry Emrich, “It’s actually worse than that … The ‘Elders’ have grown up with the notion that they have a ’sacred right’ NOT merely to monopolies such as copyright and patents, but the ’sacred right’ to break THEIR side of that contract by not allowing them to expire as originally promised. That’s the essense of the whole issue: every copyright extension is ultimately tantamount to ‘breach of contract’: it WOULD have expired on time, but now it won’t. Now, highlighting that the costs to the public are likely to exceed €1 billion, European academics warn. If Europe wishes to keep its ability to innovate, it must not lock in the current industry structure at a moment of great technological change, it must not inhibit digital creators and archives in the exploration of music - music which has been paid for once already, during the existing term! The public will not be fooled. If copyright law, cynically, departs from its purpose, piracy becomes an easy option. We urge the European Parliament, and the governments of member states of the European Union, to consider carefully the independent evidence on copyright term extension, and reject the Directive in its proposed form. “Your MEPs need to know that their voters are concerned and paying attention,” says Sound Copyright, “use our guide to lobbying your MEPs and a briefing pack. “We can’t overstate it: get in touch with your MEPs now and use our new banners and buttons to spread the word.”
