IGC Consultations to Continue on Future Work Program
"The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Mr. Francis Gurry, and the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), Ambassador Rigoberto Gauto Vielman of Paraguay, said they would pursue efforts in the coming weeks to bridge differences among member states on the way to move international negotiations forward. The IGC wrapped up its 13th meeting late in the evening of October 17, 2008 after attempts to hammer out compromise texts on the future work program faltered. Despite intense negotiations, delegations were not able to agree on the working procedures required to deliver the concrete outcomes that many have called for from this Committee. The IGC’s mandate calls upon it to accelerate its work, and expectations remain strong that the Committee should produce a significant outcome by the time it is required to report back to the WIPO General Assembly in September 2009." [WIPO]
EC Legal Affairs Committee set to debate term
"No fireworks are expected, but some industry executives are already blocking out early November in their diaries as the next critical date in the copyright term story. The EC’s Legal Affairs Committee (LAC) meets in Brussels on November 4 to discuss the issue, which has so far been exercising a number of working groups.
According to one insider, the LAC is then likely to draw up a draft report, which will be put before the European Parliament.
“The word from the working groups is that Holland and the UK are currently not supporting copyright term extension. But, if the UK is isolated, it will not insist on being difficult,” he says. Poland was also thought to be against the extension of term, but another source suggests its ministers are sitting on the fence.
Once the European Parliament has looked at the work done by the LAC – and made its own amendments and readings - it will be sent down to the European Council for policy making. But the source is worried that, with the EU presidency due to change next year, the timing is tight if the Parliament goes for a second reading. “I think we are talking about the Parliament working on it in January and February, but March is really the last month that Parliament can vote,” he adds." [MusicWeek]
New Comms Minister plans report on Digital Britain
"Our new Minister For Communications, Technology And Broadcasting, former OfCom chief Stephen Carter, has announced he has commissioned a report on 'Digital Britain' which will inform government on what role it should play in the ongoing development of the digital and communications industries.
The report comes as one key digital media platform - digital audio broadcasting - faces an uncertain future following the decision by Channel 4 to bail out of its ambitious plans to launch a second national DAB network, and past decisions by some of the major radio firms who were instrumental in setting DAB up in the first place to sell off or close down their digital-only stations. The BBC remains committed to DAB, and with internet capacity issues already a concern as more people start to use rich media services like BBC iPlayer, the wider radio sector is probably advised to continue investing in a digital radio system that doesn't rely on the internet for delivery. Though with ad revenues from digital services still somewhat less than the cost of operating them, and with ad budgets set to be even further slashed in the coming year, it's not surprising commercial radio chiefs have lost their enthusiasm for DAB. Carter will also have to consider what to do about internet piracy. Although the ISPs have this year reluctantly agreed to take a more proactive role in helping record companies distribute warnings to those who access illegal sources of music online, if the warnings campaign doesn't prove to be a success and the labels start to push the ISPs towards taking more extreme action against copyright infringers - maybe even the 'three strikes and then you're cut off' proposal being considered in France - then they may need the government to come good on their promises to legislate in this area, and Carter may have to oversee that." [CMUDaily]
French Culture Minister Launches Cultural Independents Conference
"French minister of culture Christine Albanel has launched the "Arenes europeennes de l'independence" (European Arena Of Independence), a two-day conference session gathering European independent companies from the cultural field - mainly music, cinema and literature. The event will take place in Paris on Oct. 23 and 24.
"Creation is largely supported by independent companies," said Albanel, "which are largely impacted by online piracy." Albanel stressed that independent companies release 80% of new music records in France and generate 44% of the recorded market revenue and 67% of the industry jobs.
Albanel named several measures taken by her ministry during the past 18 months to support the recording industry, namely a €12 million ($15.7 million) tax-credit scheme allowing record companies to offset part of their investments on new records and a dedicated advance fund to help record companies borrow money.
"We need to go further," she added, in terms of financing and distribution. Albanel also reminded her audience about the importance of the EU to preserve fair market conditions and to rule on a more consistent VAT scheme for online cultural business."" [Billboard]
Showing posts with label digital television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital television. Show all posts
10/20/08
Grimsdale's Ire: 20/10/08
Many in Ireland are wary of economic costs of absorbing Ulster 17/10/08
Henry McDonald on political deadlock in Northern Ireland not being resolved and how Dublin and Westminsters’ focus on the financial crisis is leading to political stalemate. [Guardian]
What's the point of regional ministers?
“It's not my question, but it's a good one. Andrew MacKinlay asked it in the House of Commons this afternoon. According to the Press Association report, this is how he put it:
‘I don't want to be unhelpful or unkind, but will you tell us what the regional ministers do … There is no scrutiny. I genuinely don't know precisely what they are supposed to do, and bearing in mind now we are told that there are some assistant regional ministers as well, those of us who are in the minority of never having been invited to do anything are beginning to wonder what we have done wrong.’” [Guardian]
Don't forget the third sector
Stephen Bubb on the need to continue development of the Third Sector through sheltering it from some of the more damaging effects of the economic downturn. [Guardian]
David Cameron proposes national insurance cut for small businesses 20/10/08
"David Cameron today called for very small businesses to be given a temporary tax cut of 1p on national insurance contributions to help them deal with the economic downturn.
In an interview on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, the Conservative leader said that a tax cut of this kind — costing the Treasury £225m — could offer immediate help to small firms struggling to pay their bills." [Guardian]
Home Office trying to persuade unions to drop opposition to ID cards 20/10/08
"The Home Office is in active talks with trade unions in an attempt to persuade them to abandon opposition to the imminent introduction of compulsory ID cards for airport workers.
Meg Hillier, the minister in charge of ID cards and passports, today promised there would be no delays to the £4.7bn programme despite the threat of a UK economic recession." [Guardian]
Digital TV switchover will hit rural viewers 20/10/08
"The culture secretary, Andy Burnham, has been accused of neglecting 2.5 million households in rural areas after it emerged they would get less than half the number of TV channels broadcast to the rest of Britain after the switch to digital services.
Opposition MPs believe the government is discriminating against rural communities because ministers have refused to make sure that all the broadcasters using the digital service Freeview offer a full service for every home, once the analogue television signal is finally switched off in 2012." [Guardian]
Click here to read more information on Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius
7/25/08
Music News Bulletin - 25/07/08
Deal or no deal?: Artists need to think twice before signing a 360-degree deal - it could leave them in a spin
Ever since Robbie Williams signed his notorious £80m deal with EMI in return for handing over the profits from all his musical ventures - including touring and merchandising - the 360-degree deal has been the biggest buzzword in the record industry. But who does it actually benefit?
Music industry: Sky sets up rival for iTunes with Universal deal
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