[Ecommerce] FT on WIPO Broadcast Treaty

[James Love]

* Wipo's annual assembly in September is expected to give the go-ahead
in principle, but the date of the conference will not be decided until
November when Wipo's copyright committee meets again for another round
of negotiations.

*  While there is broad agreement on the need to upgrade broadcasters'
rights to take account of technological developments, Wipo members
remain divided over key aspects of the treaty.

* Civil society groups have also expressed concerns that the proposed
strengthening of broadcasters' rights goes too far in restricting public
access to information.

*  Wipo officials said there had been "very little support" for a US
proposal to extend protection to webcasters as well as traditional
broadcasters, a move that many fear would place restrictions on large
swathes of information distributed over the internet.

* Ms Hayes said discussion of webcasting would probably be postponed
until after the broadcasting treaty was settled.


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Talks on broadcast rights may lead to new pact
By Frances Williams in Geneva
Published: June 11 2004 5:00 | Last Updated: June 11 2004 5:00

Negotiations on an inter-national treaty updating broadcasters' rights
for the internet age have made significant progress, paving the way for
possible adoption of a new pact within the next two years, the World
Intellectual Property Organisation said yesterday.

"Most member states are confident that differences on this important
issue can be narrowed in a reasonable time frame," said Rita Hayes,
deputy director-general in charge of copyright. She said a diplomatic
conference to adopt a new treaty could take place in late 2005 or early
2006.

Wipo's annual assembly in September is expected to give the go-ahead in
principle, but the date of the conference will not be decided until
November when Wipo's copyright committee meets again for another round
of negotiations.

While there is broad agreement on the need to upgrade broadcasters'
rights to take account of technological developments, Wipo members
remain divided over key aspects of the treaty.

Civil society groups have also expressed concerns that the proposed
strengthening of broadcasters' rights goes too far in restricting public
access to information.

Wipo officials said there had been "very little support" for a US
proposal to extend protection to webcasters as well as traditional
broadcasters, a move that many fear would place restrictions on large
swathes of information distributed over the internet.

Ms Hayes said discussion of webcasting would probably be postponed until
after the broadcasting treaty was settled.

But countries also differ on the scope of protection, with some arguing
that rights be confined to combating signal piracy. Information
campaigners worry that broadcasts of unprotected information will give
broadcasters effective rights over that information, removing it from
the public domain.

Campaigners, and some governments, also oppose proposals to raise to 50
years the 20-year protection period for broadcasts that is now the
international minimum. However, the European Union already protects
broadcasts for 50 years and broadcasters argue that they are entitled to
the same rights already granted to music performers and record companies.

Updated pacts extending rights for music performers and record companies
on the internet were adopted in 1996, but audiovisual performers and
broadcasters continue to be covered by a 1961 treaty known as the Rome
convention, which the US has never ratified.

--
James Love, Director, Consumer Project on Technology
http://www.cptech.org, mailto:james.love@cptech.org
tel. +1.202.387.8030, mobile +1.202.361.3040