Carter “torches” Rights Agency

09:14 | Friday May 1, 2009

The agency, mooted in January’s interim Digital Britain report and the subject of a recent consultation with the music and other creative industries, was supposed to help negotiate rights clearance and stamp out illegal P2P file-sharing.

But speaking at Thursday’s PRS for Music AGM, Carter conceded his idea, which has attracted almost universal disdain from the music industry, had been “torched by some”.

The music industry had complained the proposed DRA duplicated roles already performed by existing bodies, such as PPL, and called for a bigger role for Ofcom in enforcing legal action against illicit online use.

Now Carter and the Government also appear to see a bigger role for Ofcom and favour what he called a Digital Agency Lite or a more informal forum comprising rights holders, distributors and the Government to establish codes to notify illegal file-sharers and also educate them.

Carter posited the DRA as “straw man” and said, "It has been torched by some, it has been tolerated by some and it has been a touchtone for others. But I am relaxed because it has moved the debate on about how to write codes and who is responsible for codes.” He added, “Clearly there is a role for Ofcom in sponsorship of codes and enforcement.”

Carter now believes a forum, comprising the music industry and the Government’s Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), is the best way forward and plans to publish the detail on how it will operate in his final Digital Britain report expected on June 16.

Carter’s move was welcomed by BPI director of public affairs Richard Mollet, who says, “We said in our response (to the consultation) that all that was needed was a forum and it is encouraging to hear the minister now pointing in that direction.”

PRS for Music chief executive Steve Porter adds, "We welcome Lord Carter’s positive statement that the Government is wholly committed to copyright and that they understand its role and critical value. We look forward to the final Digital Britain report on 16 June."

Carter also said, "It is a waste of time telling young people that swapping music is illegal”, while adding that legislation the Government may enact in tandem with the forum “must command the ascent of the majority”.