Finally some improvement on copyright issues

Format shifting

It will become legal to copy a CD (maybe not a DVD which has DRM…?) to another device, and presumably also the cloud…

Web blocking

Ofcom has also rejected web-blocking for copyright infringement.

Two things GOOD.

But 70 years?

This is not an incentive to create, imagine a record label (who increasingly now own the copyrights, not the artist…) having a hit 65years ago versus having to invest in new unknown talent, what would you do? Well, promote and continue promoting the hit, and forget the talent whose income potential is unknown.

This is a major disincentive for the talent to be creative, if they can't get a label to sign up to…

Statue of Anne 1709 fixed copyright as 14years, and extended that by 14years if the author was still alive. In 1842 the UK term was increased to 42years, or life of author plus 7years. By 1911 it had increased to life plus 50years! and in 1996 was extended to life plus 70years!!! (Records are 50years).

This needs to be fixed, 2006 Gower report suggested a length of 7years from the date of creation, and maybe up to 25years, but no more. The new Hargreaves report of 2011 does not mention the issue.

But it needs attention if we are to incentive our artists, not reward labels for doing nothing.