 Copyright deal vital to opening EU markets to creative content ·Jan 24, 11:06 AM From Cnet: The European Union has begun to harmonize the The EU’s stated objective is to craft a copyright law that supports innovative business models and facilitates the broadcast and delivery of diverse online creative content across borders. Currently, that’s quite an involved process. If multimedia companies like RealNetworks or eMusic plan a launch in Europe, they will have to comply with the laws of each member country. But times are changing. The European Union realizes that compliance with 27 different copyright laws and licensing regimes is a significant barrier to entry for companies and a detriment to its citizens. The EU’s new position is that a simplified copyright compliance process is the necessary prelude to the creation of a vibrant digital economy. The European Parliament plans to consider the recommendations for a harmonized copyright system by the middle of this year… The removal of barriers companies face complying with copyright laws spread across multiple jurisdictions is unique to the European Union’s common economic policy. But the remaining objectives also apply to the challenges new media companies, copyright owners, and consumers face globally… Just 10 years ago, teenagers relied on local radio and school friends to discover music. Nowadays, their music discovery choices are endless and their friends may be next door or around the world. Teenagers can easily buy or listen to music over the Internet. But the current copyright labyrinth that providers must navigate to offer the music legally perversely facilitates the illegal and unauthorized distribution and performance of music. Read the entire story from Cnet. share: del.icio.us.  Reddit  Digg  Yahoo  Wink  Windows  Google  Newsvine 
Comment Other stories RAIN 8/19: Top webcasters hold their ground in July's webcast metrics ratings RAIN 8/18: Pandora tells press it's nearing "pull-the-plug" decision RAIN 8/15: iPhone doubles Pandora mobile listening; experts say mobile wi-fi should scare FM, satellite RAIN 8/14: Net radio's educated, affluent, at-work audience impacts July PPM RAIN 8/13: CBS Radio says growing digital revenues spurred by online ratings spike RAIN 8/12: For Pandora iPhone ads, the future may be "all about ears" RAIN 8/11: Wilhelms: Labels will take at least 50% of a radio royalty, but Simson's op-ed never mentions it RAIN 8/7: Salem's Internet gains ease pain of losses on radio side Bob Bellin on the satellite radio merger RAIN 8/6: "Gulf" between viewpoints may stall royalty compromise, says Oxenford |
copyright laws of its member countries related to creative content online. While the United States will still own the hardware underpinning the Internet, the Europeans, if successful, will determine how we use it.
