torrentfreak.com — Christmas is known world-wide as a time for sharing, a time for giving. But for one charity, instead of Santa arriving with gifts, the copyright police turned up demanding money. Why? Because the charity allows children to sing carols on the premises and their kitchen radio is a little loud. You couldn't make it up.
Dec 9, 2007 View in Crawl 4
goldfisheyDec 10, 2007
Usually with copyright (paticularly books, but probably music also) the creator owns the copyright which has a life span of x amount of years. If the creator dies, the copyright is included in the estate and is disposed of acordingly as per the will governing the estate. To the best of my knowledge though, once the lifespan of the copyright is expired it can be renewed by forking out x amount of dollars so it goes on.So for example, shakespeares works are still under copyright even though he is long long dead.Holding a copyright for the happy birthday song seems a bit mercenary though, I don't know of the top of my head when it was created or by who. - but still.....
reaper2806Dec 10, 2007
I can't believe you people. Shouting and moaning about capitalist scum etc. I mean hell, I agree with you it's disgraceful, but there are people here demanding copyright laws be changed or abolished, as if someone reading this has the power and inclination to do so when they come into the office Monday morning. If you care so much, do something substantial about it.
linuxgaloreDec 10, 2007
Im digging this down for being highly inaccurate and stupid. This same case was taken to court years ago regarding scouts singing songs held under copyright. To put it simply copyright is not enforceable unless the content is used in public for purely commercial use. So if a charity or none profit group decide to sing the songs they cant claim copyright infringement because there is no proof of lost income.
snatchmstrDec 10, 2007
I'm going to copyright the sound of taking a s**t. The next time the copyright police open their mouth I'll sue them for infringement.
snatchmstrDec 10, 2007
I'm ahead of you on that one. I haven't bought a single cd or dvd in 4+ years and plan to keep it that way.
bosssmileyDec 10, 2007
The BBC nonpartisan? As if! Their news dept are a bunch of unreconstructed Lefties (as evinced by the infamous "We...I mean Labour are in the lead" gaffe last election night). British licence fee pays for the BBC, but you have to have one even if you only watch the commercial channels. Talk about an unjust impost.Agree with nicholai above
init100Dec 10, 2007
Its copyright will never expire. The media industry will pass copyright extension acts regularly so that no new work will ever pass into the public domain.
tom66Nov 15, 2008
As long as you don't use the receiving feature, you can use them as DVD/VHS players for nothing.
usaxmanApr 28, 2011
This show you how to do it by CNN
http://g7finance.com/personal-finance/how-to-make-money-in-china/