MediaBerkman

When Viacom filed a $1 billion lawsuit against YouTube - and its parent company Google - this past March, it sent shockwaves across the Internet. Where would the liability fall when copyrighted materials were posted on user-generated sites? Would the status quo of cease-and-desist notices be enough to keep sites such as YouTube out of hot water?

The broader debate over the interests of copyright versus “fair use” has continued through a number of discussions since this case came to the forefront, with both sides taking paths they feel are most effective. Whether it’s the RIAA pursuing illegal downloads on college campuses or documentary filmmakers establishing best practices for fair use, the debate has been a lively one.

This week’s episode of Berkman.TV features Andrew McLaughlin who, in addition to being a Fellow Emeritus of the Berkman Center, is also the Director of Global Public Policy for Google. Andrew does a great job of addressing the breadth of challenges involved in the conflict and explains Google’s latest solution to the problem. Tune in and enjoy!

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Berkman.TV is back with its latest episode! This week Berkman’s managing director Colin Maclay discusses public media in the digital age with Public Radio Exchange’s Jake Shapiro.

Together, they address the future of public broadcasting through the lens of the Beyond Broadcast conferences, demographics, business models, web interaction, and more. Jake also makes his prediction for the biggest news in public radio this year.

While Jake and Colin discuss the needs and challenges of the public broadcasting industry, Doc Searls help wrap things up by bringing the perspective of Project VRM (Vendor Relationship Management) into the fold. As Doc explains, it is through this inverted relationship that he hopes institutions, such as NPR, PBS, and others will be able to encourage and streamline participation with their audience, giving them a sustainable “business model,” of sorts.

For an extended, uncut conversation between Colin and Jake, click here and stay tuned for the next episode of Berkman.TV!

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Not too long ago, a student was escorted out of the Harvard University Bookstore (The Coop) for copying ISBNs from course materials only available at that store. The Coop claimed that the student was infringing on their “intellectual property,” because they were going to be used on the Crimson Reading website, which allows students to compare prices of course materials available online.

Clinical student Angela Kang and the Berkman Center’s John Palfrey and Wendy Seltzer joined together in noting the unfounded claims of The Coop in a recent Op-Ed published by The Harvard Crimson:

We’re not sure what “intellectual property” right the Coop has in mind, but it’s none that we recognize. Nor is it one that promotes the progress of science and useful arts, as copyright is intended to do. While intellectual property may have become the fashionable threat of late, even in the wake of the Recording Industry Association of America’s mass litigation campaign the catch-phrase—and the law—has its limits.

Now Berkman TV, the new video production channel from the Berkman Center, has an episode featuring Angela and Wendy, as they elaborate on this argument and the trends in intellectual property claims. Visit MediaBerkman for this episode of Berkman TV and the many more to come!

About

Berkman.tv is a frequently produced video segment on internet-related news and hot button issues with comments from Berkman fellows, faculty, and friends. Berkman.tv will explore a broad spectrum of issues, including, but not limited to, the future of the internet, copyright, net neutrality, intellectual property, public radio, and more. Keep an eye out on this space for more informed commentary from the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School.