Hang On A Minute That’s My Work You Are Talking About

It was the clash of the old and new on The Naked Book, with Richard Mollet, chief executive of the Publishers Association, having a proper playground scrap with two “new media” folk over copyright.

Mollet has recently turned on ‘copyright eroders’, such as The Pirate Party and the Open Rights Group, accusing them of briefings riddled with “inaccuracies and falsehoods”.

Mollet told The Naked Book: “These people are making a habit, if not a living, exciting people into believing they can take stuff without paying for it.”

Offended? Some have been.  Loz Kaye, leader of the UK Pirate Party, said: “We’ve all been stunned by Richard’s remarks quite frankly”.

“Good,” retorted Richard. “I want to antagonise you and the Open Rights Group.”

Meanwhile, on Planet Techdirt, founder Mike Masnick accused Mollet of guaranteeing that the PA was “seen as obsolete and out of touch for the entire next generation”. The younglings don’t “buy the mythical story that locking up works is good for anyone”.

It’s not about eroding copyright, it’s about common sense, chorused Masnick and Kaye. It’s clear what publishers wants, and a lot of people reject it. “We are not concerned about the impact on a particular narrow band of industry players,” said Kaye.

When will the real world catch up with the internet then? “It’s happening much much faster than some people expect,” warned Masnick, “technologies change faster than old industries accept.”

Some BRILLIANT debating on the #nakedbook, said ‏@FeliceTherese on Twitter. “Is Richard the English bloke? Because he’s owning it.”

What’s that background noise? The sound of Richard digging his heels in. Watch out pirates!

Refereed by host Philip Jones, deputy editor of The Bookseller, and chat-room overseer Catherine Neilan.

Even Daniel Defoe got a mention.

  • http://www.litopia.com/radio/ AgentPete

    I think we need to remove this discussion from the ad
    hominem to look at the key issues. Quantum Librarian is right to say that we
    need to make sure that creators can make a living from their work.  Mostly, this isn’t the case under the present
    system -- most authors can’t, in fact, afford to support themselves by writing.

    What isn’t clear is how would they be able to do so under
    Loz’s proposals? Yes, I know about Cory and outliers such as EL James. But for
    most midlist authors, who aren’t lucky enough or self-promoting enough to push
    themselves to the top of the Amazon lists, the future is feeling very scary.
     

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  • Milton Freewater

    Regardless of your opinion on this issue, you have to admit that pro-copyright spokespeople are the most unsympathetic, hissable figures in popular culture right now.

    I mean, listen to Richard talk. Forget what he’s saying for a second and listen to his tone. He sounds like he’s auditioning to play Grand Moff Tarkin. The arrogance and villainy just drip from his voice. Badass dude, but whatever he’s for, I’m against.

    Then pay attention to his words and ignore his tone … and a 12-year-old could tear apart his arguments. Has he ever even watched a video file on the Internet? Does he not understand that browsers and P2P software do the same thing?

    Hell, I wonder if he’s ever even bought a book at a bookstore, because I have, and I sure don’t check with the cashier to make sure the publisher and author are getting a cut. I give all my money to the guy guarding the door and I take off. If she says it’s free, I’m outa there without a second thought. The possessors of copies make that call, not anybody else.

    Copyright maximalists do accomplish one thing -- they make antiabortionists look noble.

  • http://twitter.com/QuantumMLIS quantum librarian

    Librarian here. I seriously detest a lot of the stuff publishers and database vendors pull on us and our clients.  Some even force authors to request permission to quote themselves!

    My only issue is with making sure creators can make a living off of their works.  As a society I’m afraid we don’t support creativity/inquiry to the point where writers/musicians/artists/researchers can get themselves off the ground, much less, earn a living.

    Not a copyright fan--and yes--publishers use every excuse to lengthen the period while production/distribution costs diminish.

  • Pirateofthecaribbean

    Copyright -- Stealing from the public domain since 1831. No more! Your days are counted!

  • tit

    DEA creator , and proud ?

    Screw you

  • Bye

    It’s OVER publishers. Goodbye

  • Culture

    —SELF--PUBLISH--CULTURE—

    Pirate -- Publish -- Invent -- Innovate

    Goodbye and good riddance…….. from Culture

  • copy it

    Copying is not theft.

  • But

    Copyright is NOT a valid business model.

    IMAGINARY scarcity is NOT a valid business model.

  • share

    Publishers are USELESS.

    GTFO our internet if you don’t like it.

  • Publish yourself

    Self publishing NOW !

    BYE BYE publishers , the last lash out of the soon to be dead.

    lol. Culture doesn’t need you anymore. ( did it ever )

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