Originally posted by kikzm33z:

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I hope other countries don't pay then we could start a worldwide YouTube boycott.

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Quote:

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Radiohead and chums demand copyright 'fair play'

3rd April 2009


The European Commission and European Parliament are debating proposals to extend the period of protection for sound recordings from 50 years to 95 years. The Featured Artists' Coalition (FAC) says that once 50 years have passed copyright should automatically transfer from record labels to artists.


The FAC has formulated a set of policies on copyright and intellectual property that is different to that of more traditional music industry lobbying groups which have usually represented the rights of record labels rather than artists.


"The digital revolution has swept away the old music business of the 1960s, and changed forever the relationship between artists and fans," said Rowntree. "For companies who made their living sitting between the two, these are increasingly hard times, but for music makers and music fans this should be a fantastic opportunity."



A committee of the European Parliament last week reaffirmed its commitment to the extension of copyright protection in sound recordings to 95 years.

"To ensure that performers fully enjoy the additional royalties deriving from copyright extension, the committee amended the original text so as to prevent the use of previous contractual agreements to deduct money from the additional royalties," it said.

But another wing of EU government last week blocked the extension. The Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) of the Council of Ministers did not give the plan its backing.



The FAC said that any extension of existing rights would act against the interests of artists and would only benefit record companies.

"Record companies would simply gain another 45 years of ownership, entrenching the terms of record contracts signed in an analogue age," the FAC statement said.

A group of recording industry bodies including the Musicians' Union and record label lobby group the British Phonographic Industries (BPI) said that they were unhappy with the vote.

?The British music sector is very disappointed by the absence of agreement on an extension for performers and sound recording rights at the COREPER meeting today, and particularly that our own government, despite its recent positive statements, did not vote in favour of the proposal at this meeting," a joint statement said.

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Originally posted by Hatley:

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16 CENTS?!?!?! OH NO! HOW COULD ANYBODY POSSIBLY PAY 16 BLOODY CENTS!?!?! THAT'S JUST UNTHINKABLE!

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