Understanding the CLASSICS Act — Yesterday, Representatives Issa and Nadler dropped a bill that would partially federalize pre-1972 sound recordings, allowing the owners of many popular oldies to get royalties under statutory licenses when they are played online. Jonathan Bailey looks at what caused the problem and how this bill will address the issue.
The Access Copyright v York University Decision: Restoring Some Balance to Copyright in Canada — Hugh Stephens takes a look at last week’s decision from the Federal Court of Canada that held a Canadian university’s decision to rely on fair dealing for copying educational materials rather than licensing was not supported by the law. A welcome win for the educational publishing community.
Former Copyright Office Head Pallante Gets IP Champion Award — On Wednesday, the DC Bar awarded former Register Maria Pallante, now head of the Association of American Publishers, noting that her “work in the private sector and public sector has made a lasting mark in the intellectual property field.” Well-deserved.
An Oral History of The Simpsons’ Classic Planet of the Apes Musical — A very fun read for fans of the Simpsons and one of its all-time top episodes. But don’t worry, there’s also a copyright angle, as Chris Ledesma, the music editor for the show, remarks how the show approaches rights issues when creating parodies.