Slashdot Mirror
Copyright Time Bomb Set To Go Off
In September we discussed one isolated instance of the heirs of rights-holders filing for copyright termination. Now Wired discusses the general case — many copyrights from 1978 and before could come up for grabs in a few years. Some are already in play. "At a time when record labels and, to a lesser extent, music publishers, find themselves in the midst of an unprecedented contraction, the last thing they need is to start losing valuable copyrights to '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s music, much of which still sells as well or better than more recently released fare. Nonetheless, the wheels are already in motion. ... The Eagles plan to file grant termination notices by the end of the year.... 'It's going to happen,' said [an industry lawyer]. 'Just think of what the Eagles are doing when they get back their whole catalog. They don't need a record company now... You'll be able to go to Eagles.com (currently under construction) and get all their songs. They're going to do it; it's coming up.' ...If the labels' best strategy to avoid losing copyright grants or renegotiating them at an extreme disadvantage is the same one they're suing other companies for using, they're in for quite a bumpy — or, rather, an even bumpier — ride."
Indeed. The time has come for the industry to march to the beat of a different drummer.
The Funeral March, I hope.
The term "innovative sampling" has always amazed me. I mean, it's like "military intelligence", "jumbo shrimp", and "journalistic ethics" - the words don't go together, man.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
No, they will find something they can name like the whole USA PATRIOT crap. For example, the US Internet Safety & Freedom Under Copyright Key Enhancement Doctrine...
The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
cue "think of the children(heirs)" in 3.. 2.. 1..
comment first, facts later. http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm