[February 21, 2006]

MPAA Joins National Campaign to Promote Copyright Education

(Comtex Business Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)WASHINGTON, Feb 21, 2006 (U.S. Newswire via COMTEX) --The Motion Picture Association of America today announced it is partnering with the Copyright Society and other groups to promote education of students about the history and importance of copyright laws during Copyright Awareness Week March 6-10.

This public affairs campaign is designed to encourage educators from all subject areas to teach students basic concepts about copyright during the designated week. Age-specific curricula are available online at http://www.csusa.org. In addition to the Copyright Society, organizations like the Directors Guild of America, The Film Foundation, the Entertainment Software Association and the Business Software Alliance have provided materials.

"We need to change the way people view intellectual property in America," said MPAA Chairman and CEO Dan Glickman. "Creative works are property just as much as a car, a piece of land or a building. Copyright law was designed to protect creative ownership and that right has allowed our creative industries to flourish during the last two centuries.

"The movie industry, for example, is an American success story. We employ nearly 800,000 people and have a positive balance of trade in every country where we do business. The average movie pumps $200,000 per day into the economy.

"Copyright law is also one of the great equalizers in our society. Anyone can copyright a creative work - you don't even have to be a professional. Amateurs can get a copyright just the same as a famous or wealthy person.

"I hope educators will consider utilizing the array of curricula that will be available online to foster a better understanding among students of this important principle."

The core copyright industries, which include books, music, filmed entertainment, software and video games:

-- Account for 6 percent of U.S. gross domestic product.

-- Employ almost 5.5 million workers.

-- Add workers at an annual rate of 1.33 percent, exceeding that of the U.S. economy as a whole.

-- Achieve annual foreign sales and exports of approximately $90 billion.

Did you know that:

-- "Copyright" literally means the right to copy?

-- The Constitution gives Congress the power to enact laws establishing a system of copyright in the United States?

-- Congress enacted the first federal copyright law in May 1790, and the first work was registered within two weeks?

-- The first registered copyright entry is The Philadelphia Spelling Book by John Barry?

-- Since 1870, when copyright functions were centralized in the Library of Congress, the Copyright Office has registered more than 30 million claims to copyright?

-- Copyright protects creative works well beyond books and music, including filmed entertainment, pictures, graphic works and sculpture, and architectural works?

For additional information about copyright law or Copyright Awareness Week:

http://www.csusa.org

http://www.copyright.gov

http://www.mpaa.org

------

About the MPAA:

The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) serves as the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries from its offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. These members include: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.; Paramount Pictures; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal Studios from Universal City Studios; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Kori Bernards of MPAA Los Angeles, 818-995-6600;
Gayle Osterberg of MPAA Washington, D.C., 202-293-1966

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]

Discussions: