Collection Society To Libraries: No Story Time For Kids Unless You Pay To Read Aloud
from the are-there-no-limits? dept
If there's a common trait of the various rightsholders groups around the world, it is their sense of entitlement. If anyone does anything with a work under copyright, they feel they have a right to regulate it and be paid for it. A good example is the claim by the Authors Guild that owners of Kindles weren't allowed to use an experimental text-to-speech feature, since that would infringe on the entirely made up concept of "audio rights" -- and hence, presumably, require further payment.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the Belgian rights group SABAM has already established itself as a copyright hardliner with its attempts to force ISPs and social networks to set up monitoring and filtering systems to combat copyright infringement. Its latest demand shows the same apparent indifference to the negative consequences of its action:
Twice a month, the library in [the Belgian town of] Dilbeek welcomes about 10 children to introduce them to the magical world of books. A representative of the library in question is quoted in the De Morgen report as saying there’s no budget to compensate people who read to the kids, relying instead on volunteers (bless them).
It's worth emphasizing that these are volunteers, so this is in no sense a professional "performance". It's just public-spirited people generously doing exactly what parents do when reading to their own children. Indeed, it's not hard to imagine SABAM trying to claim money for that too, one day.
SABAM got in touch with the library to let them know that it thinks this is unacceptable, however, and that they should start coughing up cash for reading stories from copyrighted books out loud. The library rep calculates that it could cost them roughly 250 euros (which is about $328) per year to pay SABAM for the right to -- again -- READ BOOKS TO KIDS.
Of course, if SABAM refuses to back down here, the likely outcome will be that many libraries throughout Belgium will cancel these reading sessions for children. As a result, fewer young people will be introduced to the world of reading, fewer of them will grow up to be readers, and writers will have fewer fans and less money. In other words, SABAM's attempt to extend its reach to new areas will harm not only children -- about whom it is obviously indifferent -- but also the very people it purports to serve.
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Filed Under: audio right, belgium, copyright, kids, libraries, story time
Companies: sabam
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they should start coughing up cash for reading stories from copyrighted books out loud.
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I have a very loud mind, so surely any mind readers in the room could hear me reading aloud in my mind.
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Depressingly this would have felt like a silly, far-fetched story to me not that long ago. Now it just seems like the logical next step.
* And don't even think about making any derivative works. Only people with photographic memories and no imagination may read books in the future.
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Guys dressed in black with bright pen-lights will be visiting.
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Is it a requirement...
Uh-oh! Which vampire book/TV show/movie did I just infringe on?
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Boston Legal?
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What?
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They don't care about how their actions effect the long term, as long as they get their hands on as much money now as they can. All the issues caused by their current policies will be the problems for the next guy, not them. This is similar to politics and is probably why both groups get along so well why not understanding the rest of the public.
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Response to: Anonymous Coward on Mar 13th, 2012 @ 10:21am
I hope they get such a reckoning as to inspire works that are actually worth a damn.
Come at me you soulless clowns.
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Not recommended list
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GEMA membership (IIRC) is all but mandatory.
Not being familiar with the Belgium system, I can not make any conclusions if its just as stupid there.
While I think its awesome to focus on the authors, publishers, et al. in this... there is a chance they have no choice either... and that is the truly sick side of this. A society to "benefit" them is actually actively hurting their business.
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i believe the correct response...
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SABAM is attacking the interests of authors and publishers.
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The answer is a pretty straight no1.
I took the liberty to include our clueless trolls in the "copyright holders" group.
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It shouldn't need saying
You are trying to force libraries to pay for the privilege of getting children interested in your books. Children who can just as easily turn on the TV for entertainment.
This is a fairly impressive level of idiocy. Not the stupidest thing I've ever heard of, but it may be enough to get a nomination for a Darwin Award.
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Oh and, inb4 someone sees your username and decides to sue for creative use of a classic game title.
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It seems silly, financially
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the other thing is, SABAM are ignoring the law suit being brought against them. this should help their case no end! (sarc)
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Heavens to Betsy!
Besides who will buy all this crack I have if the kids are all busy reading?
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Time to add SABAM to this list
http://sendthemyourmoney.com/
Let's send SABAM all the audio recordings of money being passed from on hand to the other, or if you prefer, mail a "smell" in a ziploc bag to them, but not one of food.
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abolish copyright
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Soon....
And they will see those that knew how to evolve....and have no one to blame but themselves.
It's time for Libraries to reject those that restrict. It's time for shops to give those that could not evolve the boot.
Your product is no longer welcome here, because you can't stop suing/cursing/forcing the customer.
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It all makes sense!
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If they don't want to drink from the fountain of knowledge, they should go back to lapping at the brackish runoff of broadcast media.
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So, if my lips move when I read alone ...
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Re: So, if my lips move when I read alone ...
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See how long they hold their position in the face of a huge negative PR campaign.
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Response to: Rekrul on Mar 13th, 2012 @ 2:37pm
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Even if only 1 in a hundred people do so, it'll probably still come out better in the end for you.
Sadly ebook readers aren't quite common enough for kids to have them, otherwise I'd suggest putting it out as an ebook via one of the indie publishers.
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What, in the name of heaven, are they thinking? (Rhetorical question, the answers are largely greed and a level of stupidity exceeding that of cattle and sheep.)
Evil doesn't explain it. Evil is usually smarter than that. Evil wants to deflect blame not take it.
My only advice to the libraries in Belgium is to tell SABAM to stick it where the sun don't shine and read to the kids anyway. And to be loud about it. Then wait of them to sue. I'm sure there'd be two or three top level human rights, copyright and other specialty lawyers around who'd work pro bono for the libraries.
This action has shown precisely why copyright law and precedents need to be scrapped and started over. It no longer serves the purpose that it was intended to serve. It's now a haven for scoundrels, liars, frauds, pirates and cold hearted monsters. It certainly doesn't help artists to get paid for their work or anyone or anything else.
I've been sympathetic to the concept of copyright (and patents).
UNTIL NOW
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Won't someone think of the children?!
This society wants our children to be illiterate.
We need to undo the law that lets them exist.
All it takes is getting parents overwrought over the "possibilities" and the Government will be forced to make a change.
Plus the delicious irony of this society being hung by its ilks own battle cry.
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book fees
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I don't know what thought that was a good idea, but it wasn't human.
Someone should check the SABAM staffers to make sure their blood isn't green. We may be dealing with pod people here.
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Insider?
Of course, looking at how long it took Belgium to put a working government together, it my take some time for them to get around to taking care of SABAM.
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Sheesh.
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SABAM
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Reading to my Grandchild is gonna cost me?
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