Copyright WHAT?!
Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers (JASRAC) just won a case against 7 dance schools around city of Nagoya on the case of copyright infringement for the use of unauthorized copy of music during the lesson. JASRAC was asking the schools to retro-pay for the 10 year usage fee of 51,300,000 yen (US$460,000).
According to JASRAC, there are approx. 1000 out of 2400 dance schools using illegal copy of music in their lessons. This decision will empower them with the justification to stop the organization from doing so. ( http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20040928-00000513-yom-soci )
I completely cease to understand how these copyright enforcement organization act. JASRAC’s objective is the protection of the artist’s right for their own artistic creations, and the enrichment of the culture through these artistic mediums. Or so I thought.
Now these people are going after these educational institutions (although they are not part of the core educational curriculum… but still…) to get them more money through these outrageous fines. So, if the dance schools are unable to pay these due fees, and are forced to shut down, isn’t that actually killing the artistic culture? Killing the environment in which kids can have alternative education?
Besides, what is this outrageous fee, even if you’re willing to pay the annual due? That’s 46,000 dollars per year, just so you can use music in your lessons?! Wow, I don’t know how these usage fees are being set…
I’m utterly, completely shocked, I really don’t know what to say.