Players on both sides of the copyright debate see legislation as unlikely this year due to the “distractions” of the economy, war, and the lack of industry consensus:
- The shared views, expressed at an investor conference here Tuesday, mark a surprising shift because advocates on both sides of the copyright and piracy debate have frequently turned to lawmakers for help.
The conference was sponsored by Washington-based Precursor Group, an investment research firm. It included representatives of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, the Consumer Electronics Assn. and the Recording Industry Assn. of America.
Several key players said factors ranging from the distractions of a possible war to the lack of consensus among various industries would keep Congress from acting on significant mandates. Initiatives likely to stall include those requiring electronics firms to install controversial copy-protection devices, restricting peer-to-peer file sharing or expanding the rights of consumers to copy their favorite
movies and music, the speakers said.
“The prospects for legislation are rather dim,” said Fritz Attaway, general counsel for the MPAA, which represents the major film studios. “I don’t think any bill will be enacted without a large degree of consensus among the various affected industries.”
….Some of last year’s most controversial bills have not yet been reintroduced, including the Hollings bill and one that would allow record companies to use technology to block file sharing of copyrighted materials, sponsored by Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Mission Hills). [LA Times]
All of which focuses attention back on the courts for now.