Groups Raise Concern About Broadcast Treaty Negotiations

GROUPS RAISE CONCERN ABOUT BROADCAST TREATY NEGOTIATIONS
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy and Technology]
CDT this week joined a group of public interest organizations calling on Congress to examine ongoing efforts at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to create a treaty that would grant broad new intellectual-property-like rights to broadcasters, "cablecasters," and possibly webcasters. In a letter to members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, the groups expressed concern that proposed treaty could have a number of negative side effects, noting that there has been virtually no public debate so far about the need for such a treaty, its likely impact, or the changes it would require to established U.S. law. A group of corporations and trade associations sent a separate letter also expressing concern.
Group Letter: http://www.publicknowledge.org/pdf/wipo-nonprofit-letter-20060607.pdf
Company Letter: http://www.publicknowledge.org/pdf/wipo-industry-letter-20060607.pdf