Copyright Agency welcomes Tribunal Decision

28 July 2005

Copyright Agency welcomes Tribunal Decision

The Copyright Tribunal decision endorsing the rights of newspaper and magazine publishers to gain value for their intellectual property through charging for copying press clippings was warmly welcomed by the Print Media Copyright Agency.

“This decision establishes beyond doubt the principle that organisations who wish to copy press clippings for commercial purposes need to legitimise that practice by being licenced by the PMCA,” said Matthew Holdridge, Commercial Manager of the New Zealand Press Association which operates the PMCA.

“A number of organisations have been resisting taking out licences pending the Tribunal’s decision, but now there is no excuse,” he said

The PMCA was established in 2003 by NZPA under the Copyright Act 1994, with a scheme designed from the best aspects of similar schemes in the United Kingdom and Australia.

“The Tribunal has ordered some variations, but the essence of the scheme as we designed it is unchanged and we are delighted with this outcome,” said Mr Holdridge.

Since the PMCA scheme was launched, a significant number of organisations, including the government sector, have led by example, complying with the Act by acquiring copyright licences. “The PMCA now looks forward to working with those organisations that continue to breach the law providing them with appropriate copyright licences,” said Mr Holdridge.

ENDS

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