Date:         Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:43:08 -0700
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
              <[log in to unmask]>
Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
              <[log in to unmask]>
From:         Dismuke <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Copyright Extension Rejected In UK
Comments: To: [log in to unmask]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

"LONDON (Reuters) - The British government rejected a
plea to extend copyright laws for sound recordings to
beyond 50 years on Tuesday, prompting the music
industry to accuse it of not supporting musicians and
artists."

See full article at:  http://snipurl.com/1ortg

A few comments:

A) Why does the press always equate the so-called
"music industry" with the RECORD industry?  The two
are NOT the same thing as the latter is merely but a
(increasingly smaller) part of the former.  The music
industry will be around for a very long time to come
and will most likely prosper.  The record industry
won't.

B) The *record* industry ALWAYS accuses those who
oppose it of "not supporting musicians and artists." 
They say the same thing about those who oppose the
attempts in the USA on the part of RIAA/SoundExchange
to destroy Internet radio.   Yet, if they succeed, a
GREAT MANY "artists and musicians" will no longer have
ANY airplay at all and will lose a medium that they
have increasingly come to depend on to promote
themselves to new audiences. I guess THOSE PARTICULAR
"musicians and artists" don't count.

My guess is that Prince and other acts who follow in
his steps and give their recordings away to their fans
for free will also no longer be considered to be
"musicians and artists" by the Big Four cartel and its
 various front organizations in different countries
such as the RIAA here in the USA.

C) I don't really have a problem with sound recording
copyrights expiring after 70 years instead of 50. The
fact that some of the artists have lived to see the
copyrights of their recordings expire is, I think, a
valid concern.   But I regard this as good news on two
counts: 1) I am not sure whether the proposed changes
would have been applied retroactively and cover stuff
that is currently in the public domain.  Considering
that a great deal of stuff has been effectively
ABANDONED by the labels who no longer keep it in
print, taking the stuff back out of the public domain
will effectively keep it locked up.  2) Considering
the stunts they have been pulling here in the USA
through their SoundExchange puppet organization with
regard to Internet radio, I tend to welcome news that
is bad for the Big Four labels.  So, if for no other
reason, this news makes me happy.