[Open-education] Creative industries not harmed by digital sharing, report finds

Thu Oct 10 22:01:19 UTC 2013

http://www.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/news/archives/2013/09/CreativeIndustries.aspx

Creative industries not harmed by digital sharing, report finds

[image: copyright-113x148]

A new report released by LSE’s Media Department contradicts widespread
claims about the decline of creative industries as a result of copyright
infringement.

The report shows that the gaming, film and publishing industries are
growing and new business models are emerging based on digital sharing.

For some in the creative industries, copyright infringement may actually be
helping boost their revenues, the report finds.

Industry data shows that while the music industry has stagnated somewhat in
the last four years, since 1998 it has experienced overall growth with
internet-based revenues as a significant component since 2004. In the UK,
online sales now exceed CDs or vinyl as a percentage of total revenue for
recorded music.

Bart Cammaerts, Senior Lecturer in the LSE Department of Media and
Communications and one of the report’s authors, said:

*“**Contrary to the industry claims, the music industry is not in terminal
decline, but still holding ground and showing healthy profits. Revenues
from digital sales, subscription services, streaming and live performances
compensate for the decline in revenues from the sale of CDs or records**.”*

Citing the big rise in the use of Creative Common Licenses, the report
points to the ways that some creative industries are making use of, and
profiting from, the digital culture that relies on access, sharing and
co-creating.

Its authors warn that some measures aimed at strict enforcement of
traditional copyright regimes may stifle innovation and growth.

*“**Neither the creative industry nor governments can put a stop to
cultural change that is global and in many cases welcomed, including by
other segments of industry,**”* said LSE’s Professor Robin Mansell, another
author of the report, adding:

*“There is a need foster recognition and economic reward for creators and
there is a need for copyright legislation to underpin economic growth. But
such legislation needs to be consistent with 21st century values and
practices.”*

The report looks at evidence from other countries that have implemented
strict enforcement measures against individual copyright infringers and
finds conflicting data on the impact of this enforcement. The authors
conclude that more independent evidence on the claimed positive impacts for
the creative industries of such measures is needed before the expressive
and other rights of citizens at put at risk.

The Report is freely available <http://bit.ly/18F7Vr6> on the blog of the
LSE Media Policy Project.

 *Notes to editors*

*The Media Policy Project is based in the Department of Media and
Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science. It
aims to establish a deliberative relationship between policy makers, civil
society actors, media professionals and relevant media research.*

For more information or enquiries please contact: Sally Broughton Micova,
Research Officer, LSE Media Policy Project at 020 3486 2834 or 0790 485
2037 s.e.broughton-micova at lse.ac.uk

30 September 2013

-- 

Cable Green, PhD
Director of Global Learning
Creative Commons
@cgreen <http://twitter.com/cgreen>
http://creativecommons.org/education
* reuse, revise, remix & redistribute*
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