how copyright could be killing culture. i'm not a big fan of the fanatacism of copyright, and this article just goes to show another reason why it's all out of whack. could be killing culture? i daresay it's already killing culture.

As Americans commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy today, no television channel will be broadcasting the documentary series Eyes on the Prize. Produced in the 1980s and widely considered the most important encapsulation of the American civil-rights movement on video, the documentary series can no longer be broadcast or sold anywhere.

Why?

The makers of the series no longer have permission for the archival footage they previously used of such key events as the historic protest marches or the confrontations with Southern police. Given Eyes on the Prize's tight budget, typical of any documentary, its filmmakers could barely afford the minimum five-year rights for use of the clips. That permission has long since expired, and the $250,000 to $500,000 needed to clear the numerous copyrights involved is proving too expensive.

i wonder how long until artists encourage bootlegging of their work just so the work can get seen without the copyrights being cleared? via stone cold pimpin'.