Canadian musicians call for MP3 levy
A number of Canadian musicians are calling for the country’s government to impose a levy on MP3 players.
More than350 artists – including members of Nickelback and The Tragically Hip – signed a letter in relation to C-32, the government’s proposed copyright bill.
The bill would implement a blank media levy system, similar to the one relating to cassettes and CD-Rs in the country, whereby royalties would be paid back to copyright owners and musicians in compensation for private copying.
CTV News reports that a Common committee in Canada has started studying the proposed legislation this week.
The letter to government was put together by the Canadian Private Copying Collective. It states, “MP3 players are this generation’s version of blank media. A copy is a copy and the principle of fair compensation for rights holders should apply whether the copy is made onto blank media or MP3 players […] We know that you do not want to see a Canada that is devoid of musicians and songwriters, but without fair and balanced treatment, that may be the tragic consequence.”
CTV says, “Bill C-32 makes it legal for Canadians to copy music for personal use, although it has been criticized in some quarters for making it illegal for an individual to pick a digital lock imposed by rights holders to do so.”
Source: Music Week
