Re: Making copies of CD

From: Bernard Katz <bkatz[_at_]uoguelph.ca>
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 18:54:50 -0400 (EDT)

On Mon, 7 Apr 1997, Timothy Arnold-Moore <tja[_at_]mds.rmit.edu.au> wrote:
> ...[snip]...
> Perhaps you might know whether there is to be any levy on writable
> CD-ROM's? As I understand there is no such levy in the US despite
> the fact that it is trivially easy to replicate a CD using a CD
> writer which is now quite affordable for the home computer. Unlike
> tape, there is no degradation in quality and the resulting CD's can
> be played in standard CD players. The cost of blank WORM CD's is
> quite comparable with the cost of a high quality audio cassette now
> in Australia. The legislation in the US appears to make this copying
> legal but doesn't seem to be collecting any royalties.

The exact words used in Bill C-32 are: "blank audio recording medium", which could (imho) be understood to mean a WORM. Please recall, this is the Canadian situation I'm referring to. Further, the levy is not to be distributed to rights holders in countries which do not reciprocate in terms of sending revenues to Canadian rights holders. And the levy is to be refunded to "a society, association or corporation that represents persons with a perceptual disability". The fact that individuals with such disabilities who purchase these blank media will not receive relief from the levy was commented upon sharply, but I do not believe this was changed in the House. However, I am not really certain of this.

Bernard Katz, Head, Special Collections and Library Development

              University of Guelph Library, Guelph, Ontario
	  and Chair, Copyright Task Group, Ontario Library Association

bkatz[_at_]uoguelph.ca // (519) 824-4120 X2089 // FAX: (519) 824-6931 Received on Fri Apr 11 1997 - 23:02:31 GMT