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March 2005, Week 4

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Subject:
From:
Jeremy Butler <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 22 Mar 2005 06:35:16 -0600
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David is right about the need for scholars to support the EFF 
(Electronic Frontier Foundation - eff.org ) and similar organizations
fighting for our fair-use rights. This became even more clear this week
in the US as one of the biggest enemies of fair use and, indeed, of
film/TV scholarship/teaching was just appointed head of a congressional
panel on copyright.

This wide-reaching panel will also deliberate trademark and patent law
AND (of interested to Screen-L's readers outside the US) "protect
American intellectual property overseas."

And as Jason Mittell advocated in a separate Screen-L post, it is time
for film/TV scholars to step into this fray; but I wouldn't advocate
that individual scholars shoulder this legal burdon. It is the duty of
our professional organizations -- Society for Cinema and Media Studies,
University Film and Video Assocation, Broadcast Educators Association,
etc. -- to speak for us. For years, I've pestered SCMS, in particular,
to take action on this, but to no avail.

These are dark times and getting darker.

As reported in the Washington Post:

> Hatch to Head Senate Panel on Copyright
>
> By David McGuire
> washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
> Thursday, March 17, 2005; 5:15 PM
>
> Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), one of the entertainment industry's most
> powerful congressional allies, will remain at the forefront of the
> national debate over copyright and illegal downloading after being
> named to head a new subcommittee on intellectual property.
>
> Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) today
> officially christened the panel, which will have jurisdiction over
> copyright, trademark and patent law, as well as treaties intended to
> protect American intellectual property overseas.

Read more at

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44361-2005Mar17.html


> Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 10:07:13 -0500
> From: david tetzlaff <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: a basic question
>
> BTW, the movie industry is pushing for ever more restrictive
> copyright laws -- attempting to end fair use and criminalize any form
> of copying. Any teachers interested in being able to continue to do
> such simple things as assemble a reel of clips for use in class need
> to read up on copyright politics and support the EFF and other
> organizations trying to oppose the DCMA and other repressive
> legislation.
>

--
Jeremy Butler
www.ScreenSite.org
www.TVCrit.org

----
Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite
http://www.ScreenSite.org

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