Music, technology groups agree on copyright plans

Associated Press | January 13, 2003 | TED BRIDIS

[HAL9000]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The music and technology industries, which have battled over consumers downloading music on the Internet, have negotiated a compromise to protect copyrighted works such as movies and songs without new government requirements, people familiar with the plan said Monday.

The agreement, expected to be announced Tuesday in Washington, contends that U.S. laws do not need to be amended, for example, to permit consumers to make backup copies of compact discs they purchase or copy songs onto handheld devices. The technology industry also will announce its support for aggressive enforcement against digital pirates.

Under the plan, future generations of entertainment devices won't be required by law to have locking controls that make it more difficult to copy digital entertainment. Technology companies have complained that the locking devices are too expensive and complex.

The deal attempts to heads off government intervention in the rising debate over what consumers can do with copyrighted material they have purchased.

The agreement was negotiated among the Recording Industry Association of America, the Business Software Alliance and the Computer Systems Policy Project. The software alliance's members include Microsoft, Apple Computer Inc. and Adobe Systems Inc.; the policy project is made up of chief executives from IBM, Intel, Hewlett-Packard and Dell.

Officials with those organizations declined Monday to discuss the agreement in any detail, except saying they had achieved "landmark consensus." Industry executives and others described its provisions on condition of anonymity for The Associated Press.

Notably absent from the new copyright agreement was the Motion Picture Association of America, which has aggressively supported new government requirements for built-in locking controls on new devices, such as DVD recorders. A spokesman for the group declined Monday to comment until after the agreement was formally announced.

The agreement could affect a controversial bill by Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, D-S.C., that would prohibit the manufacture or distribution of "digital media devices" -- such as handheld music players -- unless they include government-approved copy restriction technology. The bill's passage has been in doubt since the 2002 election, since Hollings lost the chairmanship of the Commerce Committee when Republicans won the majority in the Senate.

The agreement also could affect efforts such as those by Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Rick Boucher, R-Va., to allow consumers to make backup copies of music or movies and use copies on different devices. Lofgren, for example, wants permission for consumers to sell or give away copies of music or movies they purchase, and to impose protections for consumers who break locking controls that violate these rights.

Boucher said Monday that he was told by executives at Intel that the company supports both the new agreement and his bill, which would require copy-protected music CDs to be labeled, among other things. Boucher said he believes that means the new agreement is "not inconsistent" with his bill.

Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., praised the agreement for helping to overcome what he said was the "growing rift" between the music and technology industries.

"I hope the rest of the creative and technological communities get on board with a unifying message and ... we can tone down the divisive rhetoric that has otherwise predominated many copyright and technology debates," Berman said in a statement.

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[Bush2000]

"I hope the rest of the creative and technological communities get on board with a unifying message and ... we can tone down the divisive rhetoric that has otherwise predominated many copyright and technology debates," Berman said in a statement.

Hey! He's talking about you!

[TechJunkYard]

The agreement was negotiated among the Recording Industry Association of America, the Business Software Alliance and the Computer Systems Policy Project.

That's nice... the RIAA, BSA (that's basically Microsoft) and CSPP (a consortium of OEMs). Who's representing the walletsconsumers?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Looks like all the whores were on board for that agreement, demanding that us cunsumers stop calling 'em whores.

[per loin]

Officials with those organizations declined Monday to discuss the agreement in any detail, except saying they had achieved "landmark consensus." Industry executives and others described its provisions on condition of anonymity for The Associated Press.

What are they trying to hide?

[weikel]

Be careful if this goes through you could get layed off from RIAA shilling.

[Bush2000]

I'd welcome it if every one of you smug bastards lost the ability to rip your crappy CDs...

[Dimensio]

The agreement could affect a controversial bill by Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, D-S.C., that would prohibit the manufacture or distribution of "digital media devices" -- such as handheld music players -- unless they include government-approved copy restriction technology

This is inaccurate, unless Ernest Hollings, D-Disney, has rewritten his bill since its last incarnation. It was written to prohibit manufacture or distribution of any "digital electronic device" that did not contain federally-approvide DRM-controlling hardware. This would affect the cost of almost any electronic device, even ones that could never be used for digital piracy, and it would possibly make 'non-approved' operating systems (like Linux) illegal because it would be unlikely that the 'approved' DRM management scheme would fit with the Linux development method (likely closed-source, and the user wouldn't be able to remove it from the OS).

[Bush2000]

Capitalism. What an inconvenience, huh?

[bfree]

Maybe your smug "artist" buddies will realize that music sales are down because most of them suck and CD's are too expensive for the value received, and NOT because of downloading.

[Bush2000]

Maybe your smug "artist" buddies will realize that music sales are down because most of them suck and CD's are too expensive for the value received, and NOT because of downloading.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrright. And in your world, gravity isn't holding us to the ground. It's all our imagination. /NOT

[Dimensio]

How is the scenario I described 'capitalism'? I don't see how forcing restrictive and unnecessary DRM garbage onto all computer hardware and software that will increase prices and reduce consumer and business choice goes along well with 'capitalism'.

[bfree]

Oh really. The American Music Awards show had it's lowest ratings ever last night. People are losing interest in minimally talented egotists. Just a fact.

[bfree]

Oh really. The American Music Awards show had it's lowest ratings ever last night. People are losing interest in minimally talented egotists. Just a fact.

[FreeTally]

I'm curious. Are you saying that sales are down because people have simply stopped buying music because its crappy?

[bfree]

It certainly plays a big part. As does the cost.

[FreeTally]

It certainly plays a big part.

So, I'd expect internet downloading of music to be "down" as well. But it isn't, now is it?

As does the cost.

Oh, the cost. You mean the difference between $13 and free? You do realize that the price of CD's hasn't mysteriously risen over the past four years, don't you? Prices are the lowest they have ever been. Why is "cost" a problem now? Oh, almost forgot - because a legitimate price can not compete with free. Five years ago, the comparison for a consumer was $17.99 at Sam Goody or $12.99 at Best Buy or Circuit City. Now, its retail stores at $9.99 to $17.99 competing against free music.

[bfree]

Maybe in a soft economy price matters when the quality is not must have stuff. Downloads of singles are rising so one isn't forced to buy crap wtih it for $13. By the way if the music industry is in such good health artisticly speaking, why are ratings dropping and why is MTV showing fewer music videos? Sliding demand for poor quality?

[Right Wing Professor]

In other news, the foxes and the coyotes today reached a historic accord on how to protect the chicken coop.