I'm a member of the Performing Rights Society - apparently I'm
supposed to get royalties from radio/TV play and for the listed
venues that I perform in (I never have though!). They wrote the
other day with a letter enclosed, urging that I sent it off in regard
to the proposed new Copyright legislation. In their letter they told
me how important it was to protect my recordings against
unauthorised, illegal use by unscrupulous people using modern
technology (samplers included?). What they also mentioned was that
my income as a performer was at considerable risk. The form letter
that they sent us to sign said
"...But what is British culture - is it groundbreaking visual art,
world-renowned classical music or Brit pop? Is it the Royal
Shakespeare Company, Harry potter or Notting Hill?"
Well _I_ could answer THAT one...
Vicki
>EU Backs Off on Copyright Crackdown
>By CONSTANT BRAND, Associated Press Writer
>http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010205/tc/eu_copyright_1.html
>
>BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - A European Union (news - web sites) parliamentary
>committee voted down drastic changes to proposed new copyright rules Monday,
>resisting heavy pressure from the entertainment industry to introduce
>increased restrictions and levies on copying music for free off the
>Internet.
>
>In a one-hour voting session of the European Parliament's legal and internal
>market committee, members rejected most of a record 200 amendments tabled.
>
>Committee members were lobbied hard by both the entertainment industry
>seeking tougher controls on Internet downloading and their opponents among
>educators, consumer groups, CD makers and telecommunications companies.
>
>``This is a directive we have been dealing with for an awfully long time,''
>said Italian socialist Enrico Bosselli, who authored the compromise report,
>which now goes back to the 626-member EU assembly for a second reading next
>week.
>
>``It was difficult to strike a balance with so many interests involved
>here,'' Bosselli said.
>
>Proposals to update EU copyright rules were introduced in 1997 and have been
>bouncing from one committee to another during the past three years. Many
>hope this directive strikes the right balance between consumers and the
>entertainment industry.
>
>One area under contention is a possible extension of national levies
>currently charged in some EU countries on blank videotapes, compact discs,
>recorders or players. These surcharges are meant to compensate artists for
>pirated copies.
>
>The proposal remains vague on levies, stating that right holders should be
>awarded ``fair compensation.''
>
>The record industry and artists argue online levies for artists are
>necessary as the technical restrictions to limit online copying are still
>limited.
>
>A record industry umbrella group, the International Federation of
>Phonographic Industries, said its $7 billion industry is at risk from
>massive piracy. The group wants to restrict downloads to private,
>noncommercial use.
>
>``This is by no means the final result. We shall continue to press for a
>directive that will benefit the creative community and consumers alike,''
>said Frances Moore of the IFPI.
>
>To get their point across, numerous artists from Sophia Loren to Andrea
>Bocelli and Ireland's The Corrs have spent the last few months campaigning
>against music piracy.
>
>Meanwhile educators and libraries worry the new restrictions will would
>hamper their access to books, music and other resources now found online.
>
>Teresa Hackett, from the European Bureau of Library, Information and
>Documentation Associations, referred to what might become a pay-as-you go
>system for online resources.
>
>``We are very afraid that we will be inadvertently caught up in an on-demand
>situation,'' she said.
>
>EU governments and the European Commission (news - web sites) both want the
>draft legislation to pass unchanged when the EU assembly votes Feb. 14.
>
>If the full European Parliament approves the directive, it would be sent to
>the governments of the 15 EU member states for final consent.
>
>If most governments object to the final version, the directive would have to
>be redrafted until a majority in the European Parliament and among the 15
>member governments concur.
>
>
>
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