Copyright Body To Survey Businesses And Govt.

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5 May 2005
Copyright body to survey NZ businesses and government bodies

In one of the first initiatives of this kind known to be conducted in New Zealand, Copyright Licensing Ltd (CLL) is planning a survey of workplace photocopying and scanning practices.

Over the next couple of weeks more than 750 organisations in the business and government sectors will be targeted and encouraged to complete a multi-choice questionnaire. "The purpose of the survey," explains Carmen Vietri, Business Development Manager, CLL, "is to get a snapshot of the usage of copyright information during day-to-day business activities and the possible licensing needs of the organisations that use such information."

"We have ad hoc data pointing towards the type and extent of copyright information re-use. It is time to collect information in a systematic way, so that we can better understand and (where feasible) better respond to market needs."

Questions will cover the type and source of information used in business and the re-use of such information by staff. Responses will be treated with the strictest confidence and will be collected and analysed by an independent processing centre, Consumer Link. All respondents will have the opportunity to receive a copy of the non-confidential results of the survey, which promises to be interesting reading.

Ms Vietri assures those organisations participating in the survey, that the exercise is simply one of information gathering on behalf of CLL's author and publisher constituents and not a witch-hunt to catch out non-complying businesses.

CLL is a copyright licensing body within the meaning of the Copyright Act 1994. It is a non-profit organisation that has been active over the past ten years providing copyright licences primarily to educational institutions. The licences give blanket coverage to licensees, permitting copying of extracts of printed copyright material from a world-wide repertoire of works. The licences extend upon the permissions given to copyright users under the Copyright Act, enabling fuller legal use of printed resources and indemnifying licensees against legal action for infringement where copying is in accordance with the licence.

More recently, CLL has made its licences available to the corporate and government sectors. Ms Vietri says that while some organisations have taken advantage of the availability of a licence and recognise the value it brings to their business, others are simply not aware of the risks of copyright infringement in their workplace or turn a blind eye to it. "As a result," says Vietri, "many staff break the law on a routine basis, exposing themselves ? and their employer ? to the risk of legal action for copyright infringement."

Licensing ensures that those who produce copyright material receive a return from the re-use of their work. All licence fees collected by CLL are paid through to publishers and authors after deduction of CLL's costs. Since licensing began in 1994, CLL has allocated more than $17.7 million for distribution to rights-holders in New Zealand and overseas.

Businesses will be targeted with survey questionnaires by mail. The questionnaire will also be available for download from www.copyright.co.nz or by telephoning 09 480 2711 to obtain a copy.

ENDS

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