RE:"Own Everything"

On Friday, January 17, 2003 2:56 PM, Ivan Hoffman [SMTP:ivan[_at_]ivanhoffman.com] wrote:
<snip>
 Ownership of IP rights is essential if your goal
> is to be successful and wealthy. That is the reason I constantly stress
> the need to "own everything."

<snip>

I do not dispute that IP rights are a key component of economic success. But if universally applied, the "own everything" mantra will lead to sclerosis. Today, your client is an author. You tell him "own everything" - so do not assign your copyright to a publisher, but license only first US volume rights. Tomorrow, your client is a publisher, and you tell her "own everything" - so accept nothing less than a full assignment of the copyright from the author. You see where I am heading.... and who the eventual winners will be.

Rights managers in publishing commonly say that they should "acquire broadly, license narrowly" but that's about as useful as "buy low, sell high".

I try to tell my clients to "license appropriately" - on the understanding that every business case is different. There is no point in holding out for an assignment if you can get the job done, and as well, with an appropriately-drafted licence. In IP, as in every aspect of business, the only good deal is one which benefits both parties.

Edward Barrow
New Media Copyright Consultant
http://www.copyweb.co.uk/
***Important: see http://www.copyweb.co.uk/email.htm for information about the legal status of this email *** Received on Wed Jan 22 2003 - 08:55:40 GMT