The Gowers Review of Intellectual Property

8 Dec 2006


Dear Norman Baker MP,

As I am sure you are aware the The Gowers Review of
Intellectual  
Property has been released and made some sensible
suggestions about  
intellectual rights and most importantly advised against a
copyright  
term extension for sound recordings.

However it turns out that yesterday (7 Dec 2006), there was
an ad in  
the FT listing 4,000 musicians who supported retrospective
term  
extension for sound recordings. If you read the list, you’ll
see that  
at least some of these artists are dead (e.g. Lonnie
Donegan, died 3  
November 2002; Freddie Garrity, died 19 May 2006).

It is interesting to see so many musicians mobilizing in
support of  
the lobbying efforts of the record industry to increase a
monopoly at  
the expense of the public good, it is even more surprising
to note  
that the record industry are somehow are able to channel the
wishes  
of the dead.

It rather reminded me of a letter from Thomas Jefferson to
James  
Madison on 6 September 1789 in which he wrote: "I set
out on this  
ground,  which I suppose to be self evident, that the earth
belongs  
in usufruct to the living; that the dead have neither powers
nor  
rights over it..."

I hope you will take the opportunity to raise this matter
with the  
Department of Culture Media and Sport.

Best regards

David Berry




--

http://www.
guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1967046,00.html




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Take a note of those artists supporting it and stop doing
business with them 
in any form.


On Friday 08 December 2006 09:12 am, David Berry wrote:
> 8 Dec 2006
>
>
> Dear Norman Baker MP,

> However it turns out that yesterday (7 Dec 2006), there
was an ad in
> the FT listing 4,000 musicians who supported
retrospective term
> extension for sound recordings. If you read the list,
you’ll see that
> at least some of these artists are dead (e.g. Lonnie
Donegan, died 3
> November 2002; Freddie Garrity, died 19 May 2006).

Amazing isn't it, I guess they want to keep up the payments
on the cooling and 
heating bills for their coffins.
>
> It is interesting to see so many musicians mobilizing
in support of
> the lobbying efforts of the record industry to increase
a monopoly at
> the expense of the public good, it is even more
surprising to note
> that the record industry are somehow are able to
channel the wishes
> of the dead.

>
> Best regards
>
> David Berry

all the best,

drew
-- 
(da idea man)
National Novel Writing Month
Sayings (Winner 2006)
http://www.ourmed
ia.org/node/262954
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