And Here We Go Again: Argentina Extends Copyright
from the cry-for-creativity,-Argentina dept
It's nearly impossible to keep track of the recording industry's efforts to extend copyright around the globe, using its usual "leapfrog" means of claiming that copyright lengths need to be "harmonized," and thus ratcheted up and up and up on a rotating basis. Apparently, while everyone was focused on places like Europe and Japan, the industry has successfully been able to get Argentina to extend the length of copyright on performances from 50 years to 70 years. Amusingly, all those quoted in favor of it, make bizarre claims that retroactively extending copyrights on content already created 50 years ago will somehow promote the creation of new music.And, of course, as this news comes out, it's worth pointing out that a commenter last week reminded us of economist Rufus Pollock's paper from June of this year, which tried to calculate the optimal length of copyright and found that it is likely in the 10 to 15 year range. So why are governments moving progressively further away from that rate based on nothing other than demands from the record labels who know that lengthier copyrights are nothing more than a monopoly rent for them? What's truly amazing is that pretty much the entire history of the copyright debate has been based on claims without any evidence that "more" must be "better." But these days, we have plenty of evidence that shows that's not true. So why do politicians keep extending copyright?
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Filed Under: argentina, copyright, copyright extension
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Duh...
I'm surprised you gave us such an easy question. I believe that if they didn't, they couldn't get all those luxury dinners and vacations courtesy of the MAFIAA.
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It is called payoffs, I mean campaign contributions.
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Also, this probably only helps foreign artists... our movies almost never lasts more than a year or so on the mainstream (very few end up being printed in dvd's and they last about 2 weeks on the theaters). Our music industry is very good, but I have never heard an argentinian artist complain on piracy.
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Re:
Thank Juan Peron for letting all those sandy haired blondes with blue eyes into the country back in the 40's. But fear not, America and Russia did the same thing.
Ain't fascism fun?
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Why do politicians keep extending?
Prime example is the health care debacle in America. The politicians are all bought and paid for. As long as Insurance and other financial corporations dictate policy because of money they will make or lose. We the people have already lost. The only solution is total, absolute revolution. Time to take down your boss.
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Well DUH!
It does promote the creation of new music, because it dissuade people from just re-recording old music. With a very short copyright term (say 10 years) the musical landscape would be littered with huge numbers of cover bands, just doing other people's music over and over again. Why risk on something new when you can get a reliable cover band to redo the AC/DC catalog?
You often seem to forget that copyright doesn't just encourage new music, but it also discourages repeating, which also gets us more new music.
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Re: Well DUH!
Er, because they have to? You can only repeat old music so long before the thirst for something new takes over. I like my oldies as much as the next person, but I certainly don't keep them on the radio all the time, because I need something new. I would imagine most of the music consuming public is the same.
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Re: Well DUH!
Thank You Music Lobbists everywhere.
Sincerely, Some dead guy
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Re: Re: Well DUH!
AAAAHHHHH! Music Zombies! Besides Keith Richards, I mean! AAAHHHHH!
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Re: Re: Well DUH!
Check out the new album, remastered and compressed down to a 3dB dynamic range for the iPod generation (aka the profoundly deaf)
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Re: Well DUH!
(for example, one day one of your descendants might be an enlightened intellectual... but until then, ya got keep re-hashing those genetics until you get something worthwhile. :P )
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Re: Re: Well DUH!
copryight only punishes those who seek to be less than original.
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Re: Re: Re: Well DUH!
I agree.
Dear Hollywood, please stop making sequels - they suck.
Anyone think they care? Didn't think so.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Well DUH!
Sequel movies aren't just a refilming of the same movie, they have different stories, and only duplicate characters or situations. It's like adding more chapters onto the original book, not just changing the type face of the current book.
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Remakes are a waste, in all forms, including in movies and music. Sadly, enough people will line up and pay, thus making it economically viable (even after paying licensing fees), even if it is a waste of time and effort.
Remakes and sequels are not the same thing, although some people may confuse them.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Well DUH!
Correct. The remake of BSG is far better than Spidey 2.
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examples:
1) Remake - The Bourne Identity
- Which I thought was very good, too bad TAM does not like it.
2) Sequel - Rocky
- Seriously, how many Rocky movies can one endure?
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Re: Re: Re: Well DUH!
/sarcasm off
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Re: Well DUH!
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Re: Well DUH!
What copyright DOES do is prevent people from using that music to create new works. Remixes, sampling, etc are all NEW works that can't be done without deep pockets thanks to copyright.
Your cover band argument is probably the worst one I've ever heard...
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Re: Well DUH!
Congratulations, you just showed how musicians lack any creativity or any desire to create something new unless they are forced to. Why do we have them again? They should get a real job and get off my lawn.
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Re: Well DUH!
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Re: Well DUH!
Well read the story! This is about copyright on PERFORMANCES.
It has nothing to do with whether you record new or old music.
And of course for those who hold copyrights on performances it removes the need to make any new ones - since the old ones can continue to generate royalties.
With a very short copyright term (say 10 years) the musical landscape would be littered with huge numbers of cover bands, just doing other people's music over and over again. Why risk on something new when you can get a reliable cover band to redo the AC/DC catalog?
As opposed to the current situation....
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Re: Well DUH!
Actually it is really an argument for zero copyright term since then the artists would have to keep creating new stuff because all their old stuff was freely copyable and therefore had no further economic value to them.
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Re: Well DUH!
Of course copyright extension is theft from the public - so this is an argument justifying theft on the grounds that it generates economic activity when the victims have to go out and replace what was stolen.
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Re: Well DUH!
If you went to see a band and all they did was covers, How many times would you go see them? Myself...2...maybe 3 times.
After that they need to be writing their own stuff. Covering other bands music is a way to get your name out there for upcoming acts. You get asses in clubs and people hear your voice/musical chops. Once they've heard you, if they like you they'll keep listening....unless that is, you just play covers all your career. So to play covers is a good stepping stone to get your name out.
THEN ppl will be more likely to have an open mind to your originals.
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Re: Well DUH!
This isn't a cover band issue. The point behind shorter copyright terms is to encourage those that have already created to create new things. Longer copyright encourages existing creators to sit on their ass and collect royalty cheques.
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Re: Well DUH!
Do you know how many re-releases and remasters there have been of The Beatles?
Also thanks to statutory licensing anyone can do a cover version right now, they just have to share any royalties.
What was your point?
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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variable length copyright
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Re: variable length copyright
First 10 years = 0% tax. Next 10 years = 10% tax. And so on -- with it basically becoming public domain after 100 years.
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If these forever and a day copyright types had to pay tax upon their hoarded, ill-gotten gains then they might have a different perspective on things.
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Trent Reznor says it's stealing, even though he isn't a lawyer, and if we don't listen to Trent Reznor then who will we listen to? The public?!? Ha! Don't make me laugh.
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Today in a shop
Now in the UK format shifting is still not strictly legal - but fortunately - owing to a stalemate in the EU we still haven't had this particular (50-70) extension so there are quite a few old classical vinyls that can be legally copied.
Still I'm guessing that mostly people will be copying stuff that isn't strictly legal - so why doesn't the recording industry go after these devices?
I looked on the box and discovered that one of the features of the turntable is an "RIAA equaliser". I wonder if that has something to do with it.....?
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Re: Today in a shop
I was under the (potentially incorrect) assumption that all I need was one legitimately purchased copy and I could create a copy to listen to in my vehicle, on my bicycle, etc. It probably depends upon where you live.
Anyways, I have lots of old vinyl. So long as I keep the vinyl, as that is my license, I can make flac, mp3, whatever files for use in a player of my choice. Or am I just a thieving pirate terrorist ?
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