On Copyright Law and Myopia

On Copyright Law and Myopia
"Of course, BSA and NAB are doing no more than using the best arguments they have to further their own self interest. But it's important to recognize the arguments for what they are: myopic. You can argue all you want that because intellectual property protection is good, any form that props up your particular business model is also good -- but that doesn't make it so."
by DONNA WENTWORTH
Copyfight, publication date: 31 January 2005

Steal This Show

Steal This Show
"Not surprisingly, the repercussions - particularly the rapidly growing number of shows available for the plucking online - terrify industry executives, who remember only too well what Napster and other file-sharing programs did to the music industry. They fret that if unchecked, rampant trading of files will threaten the riches of the relatively new and surprisingly lucrative television DVD business. It could endanger sales of television shows to international markets and into syndication. And it could further endanger what for the past 50 years has been television's economic linchpin: the 30-second commercial."
by LORNE MANLY and JOHN MARKOFF
New York Times, publication date: 30 January 2005

Dusty to digital: many library, museum collections finding a home online

Dusty to digital: many library, museum collections finding a home online "'History belongs to everybody; it shouldn't be locked away in dark rooms,' said Michael Edmonds, deputy administrator of the Wisconsin Historical Society's library archives division. 'It should be on everybody's laptops at Starbucks.'"
by MARTHA IRVINE, Associated Press
San Antonion Express-News, publication date: 30 January 2005

Karaoke lands bars, restaurants in hot water with publishing group

Karaoke lands bars, restaurants in hot water with publishing group
"The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers announced last week it has sued 24 restaurants, clubs and bars in 15 states for allowing live performances of their members' songs or customers' singing of copyright music without permission, resulting in lost income for the artists."
by APRIL KINSER, Dallas Morning News
Duluth News Tribune, publication date: 30 January 2005

Music, movie, and software file-sharing causes legal problems for students

Music, movie, and software file-sharing causes legal problems for students
"“Today, it’s very different,” says Stone. “It seems that a great majority are completely aware that it’s illegal, they shouldn’t do it, and they just got caught.”"
by JESSICA ULLIAN
B.U. Bridge, publication date: 28 January 2005

Great News! Orphan works examined by Copyright Office - public comment solicited - deadline March 25th

Great News! Orphan works examined by Copyright Office - public comment solicited - deadline March 25th
"Finally, great news on the copyright front: The Copyright Office is asking for public comment on how to address the Orphan Works problem. EVERYONE who is involved in a library, archive, museum or any digitization project should weigh in on this one."
by MARY MINOW
LibraryLaw Blog, publication date: 29 January 2005

Mobil SpeedPass, Various Car RFID Car Keys Cracked

Mobil SpeedPass, Various Car RFID Car Keys Cracked
by CmdrTaco
Slashdot, publication date: 30 January 2005

Digital Media Project: A year of change in digital media

Digital Media Project: A year of change in digital media
Berkman Center for Internet & Society, publication date: 19 January 2005
"The report -- Copyright and Digital Media in a Post-Napster World -- updates a foundational whitepaper, released originally in 2003, to reflect major areas of change. In addition to new lawsuits and proposed legislation, one of the major developments since 2003 lies in international policy changes. "

Motorola Previews iTunes Phone

Motorola Previews iTunes Phone
by MATT HICKS
PC Magazine, publication date: 06 January 2005
"Speaking during a keynote at the International Consumer Electronics Show here, the executive demonstrated the phone, which in many ways mimics the iPod. It syncs with a computer and the iTunes Music Store like an iPod does, and incorporates the iPod interface for navigating and playing digital music, said Ron Garriques, a Motorola executive vice president."

iTunes user sues Apple over FairPlay DRM

iTunes user sues Apple over FairPlay DRM
by PETER COHEN
Yahoo! News, publication date: 06 January 2005
"One point of contention voiced by critics -- and by the lawyers filing Slattery's suit -- is that Apple hasn't licensed FairPlay to other portable music player makers and music stores: Only iPods can play songs downloaded from the iTunes Music Store, they say."

Gates taking a seat in your den

Gates taking a seat in your den |
by MICHAEL KANELLOS
CNet News.com, publication date: 05 January 2005
Q: "In recent years, there's been a lot of people clamoring to reform and restrict intellectual-property rights. It started out with just a few people, but now there are a bunch of advocates saying, 'We've got to look at patents, we've got to look at copyrights.' What's driving this, and do you think intellectual-property laws need to be reformed?

A: No, I'd say that of the world's economies, there's more that believe in intellectual property today than ever. There are fewer communists in the world today than there were. There are some new modern-day sort of communists who want to get rid of the incentive for musicians and moviemakers and software makers under various guises. They don't think that those incentives should exist.
"

Bleary Days for Eyes on the Prize

Wired News: Bleary Days for Eyes on the Prize
by KATIE DEAN
Wired News, publication date: 22 December 2004
""It's a scenario from hell," said Jon Else, series producer and cinematographer for Eyes on the Prize, and now director of the documentary program at the University of California at Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. "(Licensing agreements) are short because it's all we can afford. The funding for documentaries in this country (is) abysmal.""