[Dixielandjazz] Copyright

[Bigbuttbnd at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/16/03 9:57:42 PM, philor at webone.com.au writes:

<< Yes Mike, copying an LP to tape to play in your car is a breach of

copyright, which like so many stupid laws are ignored unles the bastards

want to get you. Making a CD from your own LP to play in your car/other room

etc. is as much a breach of copyright as making them for sale. >>

I'm confused. My understanding of the U.S. Copyright law was that private 
taping (or CDs) of recordings you OWNED was perfectly legal for your own use. In 
fact, some of the profits from blank video tape and audio tape (and perhaps 
CDs) are folded back to the RIAA or ASCAP or BMI or whomever to offset whatever 
perceived losses private taping might convey upon recording artists. There was 
a big joke for many years that the big artists like Michael Jackson, Whitney 
Houston and Madonna would end up collecting royalties from the sales of blank 
media that people bought to record themselves in their little home studios! 
The basis of the legitimacy of VCRs is that private taping of copyright material 
for home use, either for archival or time shifting, is perfectly legal. My 
fading memory seems to remember the same argument being applied to audio 
recordings and ruled legitimate by the U.S. courts. In fact, I've NEVER heard any 
suggestion that duplication of copyright material that you already own is any 
breach of U.S. Copyright law. (Of course, SELLING that material while keeping the 
original is obviously a no-no!)

If someone knows this to be incorrect, please let us know and cite some 
sources.

thanks,

Rocky Ball
Atlanta