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Musicians’ Union to campaign for private copy levy

By | Published on Thursday 4 August 2011

The Musicians' Union

The Musicians’ Union has announced that it will campaign for the introduction of a private copy levy if the proposal put forward this week by Business Secretary Vince Cable to introduce a private copy right (or ‘format shifting’) law in the UK is approved by the government.

MU General Secretary John Smith told CMU: “We are not opposed to the introduction of an exception for format shifting, as long as a system of fair compensation for rights holders is brought in alongside it. This would bring the UK in line with most other European countries, where such levy systems already exist”.

He continued: “The device manufacturers readily pay for patents and the like on each device sold and yet the act of copying onto these devices the very content that the consumer is most concerned with – music – is not currently generating any income for the creative individuals who compose and perform and entertain the public”.

Well, except when consumers buy that content.



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