[Coco] Republishing Magazines

[Gene Heskett]

On Friday 26 December 2003 22:58, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz wrote:

[...]

>Republication is any publication after first publication. That much
> is not in dispute. My contracts have allowed first publication
> only. That has been how I specified them. That means no volumes, no
> compilations, no half-size, no plastic, no microfilm, no CDs, no
> web pages, no future info-crystals or holo-banks. My work was not
> so-called "work for hire". I retained rights after first
> publication.

I've often been rather outspoken about copyrights, and I'd like to lay 
an idea on you for reaction.

I would like to see a copyright made non-transferable.  Regardless of 
what else they do to make it last the life of the composer + another 
1000 years or whatever, we should retain that the copyright is the 
author/composers in perpetuity.

I'd also like to see the period reduced back to the time limits as 
existed in say 1950, and because the amount of info available rises 
almost exponentially, there are some fields where I'd like to see 
copyright terms reduced in order to facilitate progress by way of the 
accelerated free use, like to maybe 5 years for software.  Thats an 
eon in software time.

IMO music should be longer in order for the author to have realised 
the maximum income from the sale it it, so 25 years seems reasonable 
to me.  Music doesn't get stale if its good, but why are we still 
paying somebody a royalty everytime somebody sings Happy Birthday?
IMO thats dumb, and we're even dumber when we allow it.

That wouldn't preclude the copyright holder from entering into a 
contract with the Joe Schmoe Publishing Company for their exclusive 
right to publish his work in whatever media is the current media, 
deriving x dollars of profit etc etc.  This contract could be binding 
for a fixed period of time or as long as the J.S.Publishing Company 
finds it profitable to do so, and the payments to the author are made 
according to the terms of the contract.  However, if J.S.Publishing 
doesn't find it profitable, or they renege in makeing the royalty 
payment, then the contract is null and void and the copyright holder, 
aka the author, is then free to proceed with another publishing 
arrangement.

To me, the actual sale of a copyright is a bit like taking your 
firstborn son to the mountain, along with 2 donkeys carrying panniers 
full of firewood.  Only I wouldn't count on the burning bush speaking 
to me at the last second.

-- 
Cheers, Gene
AMD K6-III at 500mhz 320M
Athlon1600XP at 1400mhz  512M
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Yahoo.com attornies please note, additions to this message
by Gene Heskett are:
Copyright 2003 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved.