Disney copyright extension may be in jeopardy

[mjzee]

There have been many discussions here over the years regarding the repeated copyright extensions given to artistic works.  Many have noted the pressure that Disney applies to Congress to make these extensions, since otherwise Mickey Mouse and other characters would fall into the public domain.  Which makes this news very interesting: https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/04/01/jim-banks-theatens-to-block-mickey-mouse-copyright-over-disneys-political-and-sexual-agenda/

 

[Rooster_Ties]

I would ask if we could find a source other than Breitbart… …but I suspect this entire topic (now) probably can’t be discussed without getting into partisan politics, regardless of the source of the story.

I certainly have opinions, but I don’t even know how to start without violating the rules of our good host… and I most certainly don’t want to do that.

I used to miss the politics forum around here, but over time I’ve come to appreciate the near complete absence of politics around these parts… and appreciate our host’s rules on this matter.

[Teasing the Korean]

Copyrights in the US have been extended for far too long.  If this is true - and Breitbart isn't going to convince me - it will be a good thing, albeit for all the wrong reasons.

[JSngry]

Disney should buy The Beatles.

[Chuck Nessa]

Who the fuck reads breitbart?!!!

Oops, I guess this has been answered.

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Chuck Nessa
none

[medjuck]

I don't think Disney has much chance of extending the copyright after 2024. Maybe if they were completely apolitical they might have had a chance to claim Mickey was a national treasure  and congress should keep it under copyright the way Brits did with  Peter Pan (the play- not the character) and the French have done with the Melies and Lumiere films.  (As well as the work of various painters.)

A film historian friend of mine ran into Bernard Tavernier who said "Isn't great that we've saved the films" to which my friend replied "Who are you saving them from?"

Which is the way I feel about the various estates keeping all of the Savory collection from being released.

[Chuck Nessa]

The TOPIC of the linked story is about anti-LGBT. The copyright thing is a weapon.

You better lock this thing before I am banned.

 

[Brad]

The copyright on Mickey will end in 2024 but not on all creations or designs of Mickey, just on the way he appeared in Steamboat Willie and The Galloping Gaucho. Copyrights created by Disney on other designs will still be in effect. In addition, the use of the words Mickey Mouse once the design is in the public domain will be complicated by Disney’s trademarks in the words. As long as you are using a TM, it’s perpetual. It won’t be as easy to use the design as it may appear. 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Brad

[Teasing the Korean]

2 hours ago, Brad said:

The copyright on Mickey will end in 2024 but not on all creations or designs of Mickey, just on the way he appeared in Steamboat Willie and The Galloping Gaucho. Copyrights created by Disney on other designs will still be in effect. In addition, the use of the words Mickey Mouse once the design is in the public domain will be complicated by Disney’s trademarks in the words. As long as you are using a TM, it’s perpetual. It won’t be as easy to use the design as it may appear. 

There's a great story along these lines about Star Trek.  At one point, Paramount's legal team fell asleep at the wheel, and the first dozen or 15 episodes of the original series slipped into the public domain.  A fly-by-night video company contacted to Paramount to inform them of their intention to release these episodes on video.

Paramount responded, and I'm paraphrasing, as follows:  "OK.  You can't use the name Star Trek, which is trademarked.  You can't show any interior or exterior shots of the Enterprise, which is under separate copyright.  You can't use the theme music, which is under copyright.  And you can't use any scenes scored with music, all of which is under copyright.  If you can edit together coherent shows that avoid all of the above, be our guest."

Needless to say, the PD releases didn't happen.

[Brad]

10 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

There's a great story along these lines about Star Trek.  At one point, Paramount's legal team fell asleep at the wheel, and the first dozen or 15 episodes of the original series slipped into the public domain.  A fly-by-night video company contacted to Paramount to inform them of their intention to release these episodes on video.

Paramount responded, and I'm paraphrasing, as follows:  "OK.  You can't use the name Star Trek, which is trademarked.  You can't show any interior or exterior shots of the Enterprise, which is under separate copyright.  You can't use the theme music, which is under copyright.  And you can't use any scenes scored with music, all of which is under copyright.  If you can edit together coherent shows that avoid all of the above, be our guest."

Needless to say, the PD releases didn't happen.

Great story. Shows the extent to which companies protect their IP.