PUBLIC HEARINGS
Why publishing industry is in uproar over copyright bill
The bill fails to take into account fundamental principles and guidelines that should be the foundation of good law, says lawyer
The proposed draft Copyright Amendment Bill was met with criticism during public hearings on Tuesday, with the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) proposing a task team be established to deal with all the comments and questionable provisions. The Publishers Association of SA also warned of dire consequences should the bill be enacted in its present form, saying that 89% of publishers surveyed said it would have a negative effect on their operations. One of the contentious proposals was the blanket override of contractual terms, it said. The Copyright Alliance, which represents stakeholders in the music and literary rights industries, said there was a disconnect between the stated intention of the bill to tackle the plight of musicians and performers — many of whom died in poverty — and what the bill actually delivered. The bill failed in its promise by introducing provisions from foreign and international jurisdictions without fully assessing the effect on ...
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