Disney is airing the docudrama because they must protect

[Chimichurri]

their copyrights from expiring. After 75 years, a patent becomes public domain. In other words, people can use the creation without having to pay royalties because it belongs to the public. Mickey Mouse would have belonged to you and me - the public. Eisner lobbied the government to change it successfully. During the Clinton scandal, he was able to ram through draconian patent legislation allowing anything created in the U.S. to be protected by patent until 2019 and it allows copyright holders to bypass the courts in getting warrants to charge violators. Oh and as a tidbit, it was Sonny Bono who helped Eisner achieve this monumental task by drafting the bill as a congressman.

Disney must obey whatever the republicans tell them to do because a) they need to keep their questionable legislation going without any interruptions b) Disney must renew it when it's to expire which will be in a mere 13 years.

It all boils down to money. Don't take it personal, it's just business should be America's new motto.

***I posted this in another thread but it got lost in the ether. I think this is important for people to know where Disney is coming from and how our government and corporations scratch each others backs.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. I did not know this. Thanks for enlightening. Information is power.

:kick: MKJ

[Chimichurri]

2. Noone seems to care about this. We're more interested in

getting embroiled in conspiracy rather then face the hard facts that it boils down to business and money. If we don't pay attention to this troubling relationship between big corporations and our legislatures, we'll continue to loose the battle.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

3. Hold on to this information and repost in a few days. We will be

ABC/Disney for a few more days at least.

It's good to know the agenda behind any corporatist move, like this.

Thanks again for posting. MKJ

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. Not patent, copyright.

Patents expire after 20 years; a patent is the grant of exclusive rights to an invention (mechanical, electrical/electronic, specific pharmaceutical drugs, et cetera) to the inventor.

A COPYRIGHT protects intellectual property; the duration of copyright, prior to the law's being changed in (I think) 1995, was 75 years; since the law was changed, copyrights have been extended for a period up to 95 years for works created between 1923 and 1978--which means Disney's copyright on Mickey Mouse won't expire until 2023, and cannot be renewed under current law.

[Chimichurri]

5. yes, you're right - copyright. Posted before my coffee. Thank you

for clarifying.

[Brian Stevens]

6. And one more corection

Sonny Bono was elected to the House, not a senator. Although the repugs are looking at Mary Bono as a possible contender against Feinstein or Boxer, whichever comes next.

[Chimichurri]

8. my bad - fixed it. Thank you

[skids]

7. Because we all know what happens once the copyright expires...

...there will be porno parodies of Disney characters...

...oh wait...

...something tells me that's already happenned.

:evilgrin:

[dogday]

9. I have been wondering when the patent would expire

What you say is very true... Once the time expires, any of us can have Micky... And Micky is really the logo and spokesperson for Disney, is he not????

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. Copyright Nazis. I hate them since the Bono extension thing.

Copyright extensions after the fact are bogus. Morally, Steamboat Willy and all other works of art produced until the 20's ARE in the public domain. The corporations STOLE them all from the public.

And, unlike mere copyright violation, this IS theft, because it's DEPRIVING people of something they HAD.

Fuck Disney.

[leftofthedial]

11. oh! it's about money.

that makes it okay then, here in the Corporate States of Murka.

[onenote]

12. a few other factual corrections

Prior to the enactment of the Sonny Bono Act copyrights lasted for the "life of the author" plus 50 years, or for 75 years for works authored by a corporation rather than by an individual; under the Bono Act these terms were extended to life of the author plus 70 years (and to 95 years for corporate works). The effect of the Act was to delay the expiration of copyright for most existing works until 2019 or later. The law has no "sunset" provision, meaning nothing needs to be "renewed". In order to change the law it would take an affirmative act of Congress.

As for Sonny Bono -- he didn't write the bill. Its named for him because he died. The first version of the bill (and the one that ultimately became law) was introduced in the Senate and was sponsored by Hatch and co-sponsored by Leahy, Feinstein, and Daschle, among others. Sonny introduced a version in the House about six months later that went nowhere. A different version was introduced in the House by Coble, with a large number of co-sponsors, including Conyers, Berman, Delahunt. That version actually made it through the House, but was ultimately supplanted by the Senate version.

As someone who was involved in the debate over this legislation, I can tell you that the Clinton scandal had nothing to do with it. It was passed by voice vote in both the House and Senate, with no recorded vote. It took unanimous consent to bring the bill to final passage in both houses, and not one Senator or represenative objected. I personally think its a shit bill and had hoped (but not expected) the Supreme Court would strike it down.

[Chimichurri]

13. the point isn't sonny bono rather the copyright legistlation Disney

is looking to protect. But thanks for clarifying.

[onenote]

15. the legislation was never at risk and thus not connected to P2911

It was passed with Democratic co-sponsors, including Leahy in the Senate, Conyers in the House. It was passed on voice votes with unanimous consent motions making it possible. The law doesn't expire, so it would take an affirmative act of Congress to change it. Thus, to the extent the theory is that Disney is putting on P2911 to protect this legislation, there is no reason to come to that conclusion. No one has suggested repealing it. Also, while Disney was the most visible proponent of the term extension act (and the most obvious beneficiary), the bill was supported by a lot of other groups, including the Motion Picture Assoc of America, the Recording Industry Assoc. of America, the Songwriters Guild, the National Music Publishers Assn. Among those offering testimony in support of the legislation was Don Henley of the Eagles.

Again, I think the bill sucked and wished it would never have been enacted or had been struck down by the court. However, I can't see any logical link between it and P2911.

[samsingh]

14. so what happens when the Democrats take over ?

at some point they will.