Copyright term, film labeling, and film preservation legislation : hearings before the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourth Congress, first session, on H.R. 989, H.R. 1248, and H.R. 1734 ... June 1 and July 13, 1995 (1996)

Record Details:

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244 [The prepared statement of Mr. Sondheim follows:] Prepared Statement of Stephen Sondheim To whom it may concern As a working songwriter/ former president and current council member of the Dramatists Guild suod member of AmSong, I am committed to the protection of U.S. copyrights, and so I regret that I am unable to attend the July 13, 1995 Hearing to voice my support for H.R. 989. The current term of copyright - a fixed period of 75 years for pre197 8 works euid life plus 50 years for works written on or after Jeuiuary 1, 1978 - no longer protects American creators for a reasonable period of time. All too often works have been falling into the piiblic domain during the author's lifetime (e.g., Irving Berlin) or the lifetime of the author's immediate successors, which is contrary to the intent of our copyright laws. H.R. 989 reflects the reality that life expectancy has increased by at least 20 years. The countries of Europe, and nearly every other civilized country, inclement a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years. Our copyright law should do