It’s rare that we get insight into just how sleazy the Congress can be–but Senator Ron Wyden is giving us all a guided tour when it comes to his singular dedication to screwing pre-72 artists. There is a process in the Senate called a “hold” (see this memo from the Congressional Research Service describing the […]
“I do believe that the intellectual property that you create is just that. It’s property and you ought to be protected in the property that you create and that we all enjoy.”
Senator John Cornyn, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, May 15, 2018.
Unlike the CLASSICS Act and the approach recommended by the Copyright Office, the ACCESS to Recordings Act falls far short of Constitutional requirements and would likely open the federal government up to liability for takings claims.
In case you’ve missed it, Lester Lawrence Lessig III is reprising his role as Copyright’s Biggest Loser with an op-ed in Wired about the mythical interpretation of the copyright term in the CLASSICS Act that has been taken apart by David Lowery and Neil Turkewitz. Corey Doctorow (that well known pre-#metoo x-ray poster of minor redaction […]
Otis Redding sat on the dock of the bay in 1967. Roy Orbison sang for the lonely in 1960. Miles Davis was kind of blue in 1959. These artists’ iconic recordings live on today and are frequently played across streaming services, satellite radio, and FM radio. Tell Congress to make Big Tech pay its fair share. […]
While several pieces of music legislation have been introduced in the Senate, there is not a single comprehensive package yet. We are encouraging our Senate allies to bring these many issues together into a single, comprehensive Music Modernization Act, like the bill passed in the House.
Music Technology Policy 