[Upd-discuss] UPD Resolution on "Eyes on the Prize"

[David Tannenbaum]

The Union for the Public Domain board has passed this resolution in 
support of Downhill Battle's campaign to organize screenings of the U.S. 
civil rights documentary, "Eyes on the Prize":


UPD BOARD RESOLUTION

Whereas, the award-winning US documentary film series "Eyes on the 
Prize" on the US civil rights movement -- called "the principal film 
account of the most important American social movement of the 20th 
century" by one expert -- has not been available for public viewing for 
the past 10 years;

Whereas, copyright laws and related licensing restrictions have been the
chief barrier to this lack of access,

Whereas, "Eyes on the Prize" will be screened over the Internet and in
public showings across the US as part of Black History Month (February),
despite the objections of various corporations and others that hold 
copyrights on songs and historic footage that appear in the documentary; 
the documentary maker is deceased.

We, the board of the Union for the Public Domain,

(1) endorse the work of the group "Downhill Battle" in organizing these 
screenings and making this important documentary available to the 
public, and

(2) call upon national governments to implement specific limitations to 
copyright that permit such works to be shown, when the social, cultural, 
educational or developmental benefit of a use outweigh the costs imposed 
by it on private parties.

Union for the Public Domain - updinfo@public-domain.org

For background, see http://www.downhillbattle.org/eyes/