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In the US, a stand-alone CD recorder (with audio inputs that you hook into your stereo), will only use "Music" CDs, not normal "computer" CDs. These music CDs are more expensive than the computer ones, since they are only used for music recordings and carry a levy.

Most people aren't familiar with this, as most people never use such a device. Recording audio CDs on a computer is far more flexible.

So, when you want to perform music, you pay all three of these organizations. [ASCAP, BMI, SESAC] Rather than asking you which particular songs you're playing, they just charge you a blanket rate for access to their entire catalog; and then they make their own decision on how much of your money to pass along to the various copyright holders. They do this statistically, by looking at the popular music charts: rather than paying the particular artists you've played, they just assume that almost all of your money should go to the most popular stars.

The tariffs go "to organizations representing record companies, producers, and others who own the rights to copyrighted material."

"Since the regime was established in December 1999, the CPCC has collected over $87 million in levies. According to the CPCC's website, however, copyright holders have only received $26 million to date."

(source)

For every piece of recordable media sold in Canada, that includes hard drives, blank tapes, blank cd's EVRYTHING RECORDABLE, the music industry receives a comission.
Yep even if you just want to burn your photo's to disk, back-up your college work etc the music industry gets it cut.

http://www.ccfda.ca/subsections/fre_library.html

If they want Canadians to pay for downloaded music its time they gave that money back or stopped collecting it.
Until then Canadians have paid the copyright dues in the form of this blank media levy, even those who dont download music!

The most bs about the levy is that I am still liable if I was caught making copies after paying for it at the cash register.

So lets fight it!

There are two separate rulings (although only one was by a judge). Whether both of the rulings stand is still to be determined.

In December 2003, the Copyright Board of Canada issued a decision stating that downloading copyrighted music from peer-to-peer networks is legal. This is not a court decision and not surprisingly, the Canadian Recording Industry Association disputes the decision. The board also noted that it believed uploading copyrighted works online appeared to be prohibited by law.

Fast forward to April 2004. The CRIA is in court trying to force major Canadian Internet service providers to divulge the names of suspected copyright violators. Not only did federal judge Konrad von Finckenstein deny the request but went on to rule that placing copyrighted works in a shared directory is legal, akin to the photocopiers mentioned above. The CRIA does not agree with Finckenstein and has appealed his ruling.

To buy his argument you have to believe that placing a copyrighted work in shared directory doesn't amount to distribution. "Before it constitutes distribution, there must be a positive act by the owner of the shared directory, such as sending out the copies or advertising that they are available for copying," Finckenstein wrote.

In response to the ruling, Helene Scherrer, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, has promised to fix copyright law as quickly as possible. This may also push the government to ratify the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties. According to the Canadian Coalition for Fair Digital Access, ratifying the treaties may double the levies already imposed on blank digital media.

The levies are collected by the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC), which is responsible for distributing the money to organizations representing record companies, producers, and others who own the rights to copyrighted material. Since the regime was established in December 1999, the CPCC has collected over $54 million in levies. According to an article in the Globe and Mail on February 26, 2003, only $6.8 million has been dispersed to copyright holders to date.

As they are not taxes/tarrifs (it's a levy) you do not pay it.. the store does. They pass the cost on to you (in fact, to make people aware of it many stores either add it on as a tax at the register so people know, like London Drugs, or post signs everywhere explaining the situation with the address for the CCFDA).

Anyway, you get around that by importing your CD's -- you can buy them online in 100-packs from the States and it's perfectly legal. You just have to be careful to do it in such a way to avoid ridiculous customs charges..

In Canada, the money is theoretically doled out in proportion to album sales. However, if you read this you'll notice that:

Since the regime was established in December 1999, the CPCC has collected over $54 million in levies. According to an article in the Globe and Mail on February 26, 2003, only $6.8 million has been dispersed to copyright holders to date.

My understanding is you also have to be the copyright holder to get the money, which is not many musicians. In other words, both consumers and musicians are being fleeced by this inane law, and the only people making money are record companies and Celine Dion.

This is sadly just another example of influence peddling and corruption with our current government.

Check out London Drug's official position. Also worth a look is the Canadian Coalition for Fair Digital Access - a non-profit group against all this foolishness. Especially look at their member companies - they include the likes of London Drugs, AMD, Intel, Creative Labs, Apple, Dell, FutureShop/Best Buy, Hewlett PAQard, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack and (sweet Jesus, is this one right?) Sony Canada.

Check here. Even if you have paid the tax for it, you can still be liable for the damages when you get caught.

This is the main reason why I go to the states to buy my media (5 American cents for one CD!). If I pay for the license and still not be off the hook, I'm not paying for it again.

Besides, the first time I checked the site, they reported that the music and other industries haven't received a cent from this levy. I just checked it and they've sent only 6.8 million of 28 collected.

That's what I thought too, but I went to check things out, and apparantly, circa Feb. 2003, $6.8 million of the $28 million they'd collected had been distributed ... It's still pathetic, but it's better than nothing. The way the percentages for distribution of funds *seem* to work, at least some of that money had to go to artists and/or performers.

Take a look at this, which lists members of the CCFDA:

http://www.ccfda.ca/subsections/eng_whoweare.html

Notice that Sony Canada is one of them. So... Sony is a member of the RIAA (who's lobbying for levys in the US), as well as the CCFDA (who's against levys in Canada). I wonder what this says about Sony's schizophrenic nature? :)

As shown in other posts, there is a levy of "21 cents on a regular CDR or 77 cents on an audio CDR" info here

Before you talk out your butt and accuse others, check your facts.

According to the CCFDA, there's a fee on both - 21 cents on a regular CDR or 77 cents on an audio CDR.

Currently the charge raises the price of data CDs by 21 cents and raises the price of audio CD-Rs and CD-RWs by 77 cents.

(From http://www.ccfda.ca/subsections/eng_faqs.html

Anyone who wants to check this, go a London Drugs in Canada, where they don't include the levy in the sticker price (unlike pretty much everyone else). Buy a $29.99 spindle of 50 data blanks, and watch as the price jumps to $40.49 before taxes ($0.21 * 50 = $10.50).

Not so in Canada, unfortunately. SOCAN (basically Canada's RIAA) has managed to get a 21 cent levy on ANY and ALL blank CD-Rs and a slightly smaller levy on all CD-RWs. They want to make it even higher, too. 59 cents per CD-R is what the bastards want.
CD-Rs are ALREADY too expensive in Canada.. a 10 pack of CD-Rs will set you back ~CDN$10, 25 pack of CD-Rs will set you back ~CDN$20, a 50 pack ~CDN$35-40.
http://neil.eton.ca/copylevy.shtml
Canadian retailers aren't happy either, and big names like Wal-mart Canada and Radio Shack Canada are apart of the Canadian Coalition for Fair Digital Access.

ccfda

Anyway, Wilco did this already with a live recording, and we all know how successful Wilco was by making the mp3's for YHF available to one and all as a marketing gimmik.

Support Wilco and all bands that encourage sharing of mp3's. Fuck Lars, fuck Madonna, fuck the RIAA and fuck all the other bands that look upon us as criminals first.

And fuck Bush too, because he's an idiot.

These haven't been legislated. They're just recording industry recommendations from a lobby group called the Canadian Private Copying Collective. Incidentally, some large tech importers and manufacturers, as well as consumers are heavily lobbying against these tariffs, through the CCFDA. I don't think they will see the light of day.

An interim decision on tariffs for recording media can be found at here. It certainly doesn't look like the outrageous tariffs recommended are being taken seriously.

We Canadians have been paying a levee on any recordable media since the year 2000. Only recently, there was a small disbursment from the Canadian Private Copying Collective, with more due soon. As well, the CPCC wants to significanly raise the levee to the point that it's almost not worth recordong your own CDs.

Interestingly, HP Canada is really opposed to the increase - see this page to learn more. They've formed a group of businesses that have a stake in selling digital media or digital recording devices called the Canadian Coalition for Fair Digital Access - lots of good info on thier site. Pay attention to the links page - it has the latest news on what's up with the CPCC.

A levee like this will produce simmilar results in Germany - the PC makers will end up at war with the media companies. It's already starting in Canada, as you can see...

Soko

We Canadians have been paying a levee on any recordable media since the year 2000. Only recently, there was a small disbursment from the Canadian Private Copying Collective, with more due soon. As well, the CPCC wants to significanly raise the levee to the point that it's almost not worth recordong your own CDs.

Interestingly, HP Canada is really opposed to the increase - see this page to learn more. They've formed a group of businesses that have a stake in selling digital media or digital recording devices called the Canadian Coalition for Fair Digital Access - lots of good info on thier site. Pay attention to the links page - it has the latest news on what's up with the CPCC.

A levee like this will produce simmilar results in Germany - the PC makers will end up at war with the media companies. It's already starting in Canada, as you can see...

Soko

I wonder how blank it would have to be to work? Could you just have a single file that says "Blank-media levies suck. Go to http://www.ccfda.ca/ for more info"? Or would they decide that it's still predominantly blank media?

There is a levy, and they want to make it bigger:
Check out this site for details

Wired article

People who want to enforce it (with exact amounts listed)

People who want to stop it

So, can I borrow your cd's? I want to burn a couple 100 since I just bought a big whack of blanks and have already paid for the right to do so!

the Canadian Copyright Board is not a bunch of dimwits or lackeys

I know the copyright board didn't pass the law, but the CCB are the ones who allowed the current ridiculous scheme to be put in place. I don't care if they reduced the amount requested by the record companies - the fact that I have to pay a flat-rate levy on CD-Rs and the money just disappears into a black hole is a farce.

If the CCB wants to show that they aren't a bunch of lackeys, they will turn down the current proposed increases, and repeal the previous levy too. From what I understand, this is within their power.

I wrote my (Canadian Alliance) MP about this issue, and he replied that they will be opposing the increases. Hopefully they have enough clout to do something about it.

More information on what is wrong with this whole levy system can be found here. If you want to check out the propoganda put out by the record industry group, you can check out their website too, where they freely admit that they have taken in $28M of our money, but have not give a cent out to any of the artists that are supposed to benefit from this screwed-up system. Nice, isn't it?

I don't know how much you pay, but here are the numbers for Canada. The CCFDA (Canadian Coalition for Fair Digital Access) is trying to fight it.