Copyright Issues In the Music Industry (Safeguarding)

Copyright items in the music industry starts when it is written down or recorded. Composer own the copyright item unless they appoint them to another person by selling them to publishing company, assigning them by licensing it, or giving it away. However, it is different when proving ownership. There are 3 ways on how to safeguard copyrighted material to avoid dispute over "originality".

1. Proving authorship
2. Proving ownership
3. Enforcement

Proving Authorship

A creator has to prove authorship when forming a copyright. There are few ways to prove authorship.

Witness Testimony

If someone saw you creating a work. They can help you to be a witness testimony to prove authorship.

Registering Work

A new work should be registered. Look for a publisher to assist you in registering copyright items.

Deposit With An Archive Repository

A copies should be placed in archive repository. Such as :-

• The British Library in London
• Stationers Hall Registry (UK), Stationers Hall, Ave Maria Lane, Ludgate Hill, London, EC4M 7DD Tel (0171) 248 2934
• www.songprotector.com (An online composition copyright registration service.

Deposit With A Bank or Solicitor

Author and composers often choose to deposit copy of their work with a solicitor or bank and keep a dated receipt, in a recorded form.

Send a Copy To Yourself Recorded or Registered Delivery

Send yourself a copy of your work (in manuscript, recording etc) in a sealed packaging through the national post which will bear a franking mark on the packaging.

Proving Ownership

Copyright can be sold or appointed to a company, current copyright owner might not be the author. To prove ownership, the owner can perform the following :-

Display Copyright

Embedded Copyright Information

The reason why you need to embed copyright information into media file

• To prove the file is copyrighted
• To allow file usage to be tracked
• To identified copyright holder
• To contact the copyright holder if needed

What Information Should be Embedded?

• © Universally accepted copyright symbol
• Date (year)
• authors name and email address

Embedding Copyright Information Into Web Pages

The following are two meta tags which are useful in the head tag of your web pages

Embedding Copyrighted Information Into Media Files

Images

Photoshop Use File>File Info menu to enter copyright details.

Digital Watermarking Image Files

Digimarc digital watermark system Photoshop uses a filter to embed the watermark into your file. This will allowed your file to be able to tracked on the internet.

Enforcing Copyright

Hire a Copyright Lawyer

Hire a copyright lawyer to protect your copyright if you have no worries about money.

Use the Musicians Union

Musicians Union provides free legal assist and advice if you are a part of the Union.

Assign Your Copyrights to a publisher

Publishing company might help you in protecting your copyright. But normally it takes a few agreements such as claiming royalties fees. Nonetheless this will further protect your copyright in any way.