20 October 2011 – Sharp Project Event 002
I was asked to join the panel hosted by Laura from Ward Haddaway along with friend and fellow “Music Master” Dave Tolan to discuss the implications of The Hargreaves report on the creaive industries.
Intellectual property is at the heart of the creative sector’s success, but major changes are on the way. The Government is looking to overhaul the current system in an effort to unlock an estimated £7.9bn of additional GDP and promote greater innovation and growth in the UK economy.
Changes proposed following a report led by Prof Ian Hargreaves include:
- The establishment of a digital marketplace where licences in copyright content can be bought and sold
- Greater access to so-called ‘orphan works’ whose copyright owners cannot be traced
- Allowing more lawful copying, such as from a laptop to an MP3 player and copying that doesn’t conflict with the core aims of copyright
It was an interesting night, but the panel were less than convinced that the proposed changes would be of much effect. The recommendations were unlikely to be enforced so would not lead to a level playing field, as many companies would choose not to take the measures on board if it damaged profits.
