UK broadcasters oppose copyright changes

UK broadcasters have begun a fightback against Internet groups and others lobbying ministers to relax copyright laws. ITV’s chief executive Adam Crozier said Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, and Vince Cable, the business secretary, were left in no doubt at a recent summit meeting on creative industries that UK broadcasters and producers were unanimously opposed to the introduction of so-called “fair use” principles. These would allow companies such as Google’s YouTube or other online video sites to show clips of popular programmes. Crozier said it was vital that the government, which talked about supporting creative industries as a vital export driver and a world leader in television formats, protected intellectual property (IP).