Subject: Re: SSSCA will make open source illegal in the US
From: Gordon Neault (gordo-x@shaw.ca)
Date: Wed Mar 06 2002 - 07:46:10 MST
Not to mention that passing this act will mean that the "Music Tax"
applied to vast quantities of recordable media (cassettes, blank videotape,
and in most countries CDR's) will become moot with the passing of the
SSSCA.
Canada, UK, EU, Aus/NZ, etc and the US (not sure about CDR in America,
though) collect and distribute directly to musicians a nickel or a dime
from every blank medium that can theoretically be used to record music and
film (typically, open reel tape and DAT are exempt, as they are mainly
used in the studios themselves).
I recall at least one bill entered into Congress to repeal this levy
should SSSCA pass, and I don't think if it fails that it will be the last.
Of course, as the levy is structured (with the legislation I'm familiar
with) the money goes directly to musicians via various organizations (not
to the big studios and record companies, to distribute "after costs");
since these paltry sums represent, in most cases (ie when they owe money
to the studios, or about 99% of cases), the same kind of income (or more)
that artists receive from a original CD, it's loss is significant to the
beneficiaries.
Just another group that doesn't benefit and actually opposes the SSSCA.
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