International experts struggle for balance of interests
“Although, in recent years, attention for the necessity of intellectual property rights has grown enormously against the backdrop of globalisation and digitisation, until now no consensus has been found in the music sector,” Peter Rantasa, chairman of the panel discussion “Intellectual Property Rights” at the 2nd World Forum on Music in Beijing that will be held Friday, director of mica - music austria, and founder of the initiative fair music, states.
Rantasa says, it is no coincidence that the topics of globalisation and digitisation appear simultaneously and he also gives the reasons for the current situation: “Rich countries, artists and industries logically defend their positions. Openness for a new and innovative approach which meets the requirements of a model orientated towards a balance of interests is to be found among those who have been refused access to global markets.”
For years there have been efforts at an international level to harmonise countries` legal regulations. This process, however, is accompanied by various interests from politics, the business world and society at large. The fundamental questions of cultural diversity, access to and participation in musical cultures, the gap between industrial and developing countries, or the imbalance in the distribution of profits, do not receive proper attention in the public discussion.
A Fair World of Music
“New models such as `creative commons´, `global licensing’ or `cultural flat rate´ are already being broadly discussed and are being supported by national and international initiatives,” declared Rantasa ahead of the international conference in Beijing. At the same time, royalty collecting societies, which play an important role for creators, got under extreme pressure. This mainly occurs in Europe, because of the existing regulations on competition. They need support especially in small countries. The fair music initiative launched by Peter Rantasa is a current example of designating innovative business models, which make the contours of a fair and future world of music visible even today.
Photo: Peter Rantasa © Larry Bercow
