Public hearing on Broadcast Treaty in DC, May 9

The US Patent and Trademark Office is holding public hearings on May 9 to discuss the US position on the WIPO Broadcast Treaty — you can attend and even speak.

The Broadcast Treaty is a proposal to let broadcasters (and "webcasters" — people who host files and make them available to the Internet) claim a copyright to the stuff that they transmit. Broadcasters get this special right even if the stuff they're sending around is in the public domain, or Creative Commons licensed, or not copyrightable (like CSPAN's broadcasts of Congress). Fair use doesn't apply to this right.

What this means is that a handful of corporations are going to be able to claim copyrights over billions of works they didn't create — works that they've done nothing to improve, works they've done nothing for except electromagnetically modulating them.

What this means is that these corporations are going to be able to trump the rights of actual creators. If you put a Creative Commons license on your video that allows your fans to share it, the "broadcaster" — or the person who transmits it over the Web — can override your wishes and tell your fans that they can't.

This is a proposed UN treaty, and the US position on it keeps wavering. The tech sector recently woke up and told the government off for selling them out in Geneva, critically wounding the Treaty's prospects. With a little help, it could die altogether.

Persons wishing to attend and observe or participate in the roundtable are required to submit requests to observe the roundtable or participate, preferably by electronic mail through the Internet to sking@loc.gov. Alternatively, you may submit requests by facsimile at 202–707–8366 or via regular mail to: U.S. Copyright Office, Copyright GC/I&R, P.O. Box 70400, Southwest Station, Washington, DC 20024, marked to the attention of Simone King. Please be aware that delivery of mail (U.S. Postal Service and private carrier) sent to the U.S. Copyright Office is subject to delay. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that any request to observe or participate be made via e–mail or fax. Requests to observe the roundtable or to participate as a member of the roundtable must indicate the following information:

1.

The name of the person, including whether it is your intention to observe the roundtable or to participate as a member of the roundtable;

2.

The organization or organizations represented by that person, if any;

3.

Contact information (address, telephone, and e–mail);

4. Information on the specific focus or interest of the observer or participant (or his or her organization) and any questions or issues you would like to raise.

The deadline for receipt of requests to observe or participate in the roundtable is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 4, 2007. If we receive so many requests that we reach the room's capacity, attendance will be granted in the order the requests were received.

Link

(Thanks, Dan!)