2006-11-27

The paper considers recent policy changes to the copyright law and its management, particularly digital rights management, and asks how they can be evaluated. Copyright law is perhaps the most important policy tool affecting the cultural industries and it provides the regulatory environment in which all enterprises in the music, film, book publishing, broadcasting and other media industries function. Digitalisation is now affecting all art forms and the management of rights is becoming an issue for arts managers as well. In Europe, the European Commission is seeking to increase competition into rights management but it is argued this may lead to restriction of cultural diversity and other cultural policy aims.