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20-Year Copyright Extensions Coming To Europe

unlametheweak points out a story at Ars Technica which begins: "After a UK government-led commission said that the current 50-year term for musical copyrights was fine, and the government last year publicly agreed that there was no need to extend the term, culture minister Andy Burnham yesterday made the logical follow-up announcement that yes, the government would now push for a 20-year extension on copyright. Turns out, it's the moral thing to do. Actually, by framing the issue as a 'moral case,' Burnham gets to sidestep the entire issue of logic. Critics have already begun to charge that he is ignoring actual evidence and the well-regarded conclusions of the Gowers Report (PDF), not to mention previous government policy. But when the issue becomes a moral one and the livelihood of aging performers is at stake, it's suddenly easier to avoid cost/benefit analysis."

7 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. I don't get it... by TubeSteak · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does Europe have their own version of Steamboat Willy?

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    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
    1. Re:I don't get it... by ciderVisor · · Score: 4, Funny

      Does Europe have their own version of Steamboat Willy?

      Yeah, over here it's called Syphilis.

      --
      Squirrel!
    2. Re:I don't get it... by unlametheweak · · Score: 3, Funny

      Frame the issue as an emotion, not logic. Then emotion biases any interpretation of facts. Political people are very good at manipulation of peoples emotions.

      It's Karma-whoring for the "real" world.

  2. Good by funkatron · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anything that means that Cliff Richard and Paul McCartney don't have to release more christmas songs to get money should be welcomed.

    --
    "Welcome to our world. We are the wasted youth. And we are the future too." Yes, I know these are stupid lyrics.
  3. Some folks have a moral reason for this! by Samschnooks · · Score: 5, Funny

    * The majority of performers could gain as little as 50 cents per year from sales related to the proposed extension, set against as much as â4m going to each major record label

    I own stock in music labels you insenstive clod. Musicians get all the hotties, even when they're poor! We fat cats are, well fat and ugly, we need the money to get laid! Geeze!

    * The Directive threatens to actually decrease the amount performers receive in airplay royalties in their lifetime, as payments are transferred from artists at the beginning of their careers to the estates of dead performers

    Keith Richards has to make a living while he's still animate.

    * The proposal to set up a fund for session musicians (who otherwise would not benefit from the term extension at all, because of the contracts they originally signed with record labels) is low on detail. Thereâ(TM)s a real risk that the small amount record labels are compelled to set aside for this fund will be swallowed by admin costs before it gets to musicians.

    Secretaries have to support the illegitimate children that were fathered by the musicians they slept with when they were young and pretty. Think of the children this law would save! Just, think of the children!

    See, there is a moral reason for this law!

  4. Think about the authors by jmv · · Score: 5, Funny

    If we don't extend copyright, what incentive will dead authors have to create?

  5. Brraaaains! by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Funny

    If we don't extend copyright, what incentive will dead authors have to create?

    If we don't cough up, they are going to crawl out of their graves, and look for alternative income sources.

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    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!