Musicians should be forced to tell audiences if they are miming and music should be made a core curriculum subject in schools, according to a new report commissioned by the Musicians Union (MU) and the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters. The Status Quo report, written by Andrew Missingham, also recommends that file-sharing platforms which enable users to exchange music over the Internet, such as Limewire and Kazaa, accept liability for intellectual property abuses that happen via their services; that copyright laws should be amended to remove the need for artists to assert their moral rights before they can be attributed with the creation of work; and that tax arrangements for the music industry are reviewed.
The report says that, having expressed its aim to make the UK the worlds creative hub, the Government must safeguard the rights of creative industry professionals. John Smith, General Secretary of the MU, said, We believe that it is no longer enough to pay lip service to the creative community. Their intellectual property rights must be enforced and their unique, distinct and vital contribution to contemporary society and the modern economy must be recognised in a more active and positive way.
Published: 06-11-2006