The Aug 5 Federal Register published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Acquisition and Deposit of Unpublished Audio and Audiovisual Transmission Programs by the Copyright Office, Library of Congress. Comments are due Sept 7. The proposal sounds like a good idea to me.
The Library of Congress wants to expand 37 C.F.R. Section 202.22 (see also 17 USC 407(e)) that allows it to record unpublished television programs. It wants to add radio, Internet, cable, satellite and other audiovisual transmissions to the public.
This would allow the Library of Congress to collect and preserve broad-based contemporary cultural materials from all kinds of unpublished transmission programs that represent the nation's rich heritage.
Programs are considered "unpublished" if there is no offer of physical distribution of copies to the public by sale, rental, lease or lending, with the purpose of further distribution. A public performance of a work does not of itself constitute publication.
Let's support this one.
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