New copyright alliance taking fight to Capitol

WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - A unique new organization made up of representatives of the commerce, arts and academic communities aims to convince Congress and the public that copyrights aren't the legal equivalent of a Rodney Dangerfield punch line -- lacking respect.

The members of the Copyright Alliance hope their organization, which is set to be unveiled Thursday (May 17) at a ceremony in the Reserve Officers Building on Capitol Hill, hope they can convince increasingly skeptical members of the general public and policymakers that copyrights are something special that deserve protection.

"Intellectual property is under attack," folk singer-songwriter Tom Paxton said. "A lot of people think about it. They think, 'Well, it's just music and not worth protecting.' To us, it's a living. We make this the same way a cabinetmaker makes a chest."

Paxton; Grammy-winning Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier; guitarist Steve Cropper, a member of Booker T and the MGs as well as an A&R executive, engineer, producer and songwriter; Steve Siwek, of Economics Inc.; and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Tim O'Brien hope their presence at the organization's formal announcement will help impress upon policymakers, in particular, and the public what copyrights mean to America.

Patrick Ross, executive director of the organization, said that the group helps to fill a gap that was left when former Motion Picture Association of America chief Jack Valenti died.

Valenti ran a similar group known as the Copyright Alliance that went into eclipse after his death last month.

"That was a creature of Jack Valenti," Ross said. "With this, we hope to preserve that broad group."

The alliance comprises 29 member organizations ranging from the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) to the Walt Disney Co. Ross conceded that sometimes the individual members might be in conflict with one another, but insisted that an umbrella group will help fill a void.

"If you look at the list of members, you'll see that there will be times when they will disagree," he said. "They can speak for themselves, but they all can agree on the general principle that copyrights need protection."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter