COMMON-LAW COPYRIGHT.

Sound recordings made before 1972 are governed by a confusing array of state-law protections, the most notable of these being common- law copyright. Although frequently treated as a pre-publication version of statutory copyright, common-law copyright has less in common with statutory copyright than is generally assumed, and these differences have real effects on copyright holders and broadcasters. This piece aims to take the measure of common-law copyright and demonstrate that it is a substantially broader doctrine than statutory copyright in terms of what rights it grants to creators. Given that satellite, internet, and terrestrial radio broadcasters are currently facing lawsuits seeking damages for transmission of pre-1972 sound recordings, particular attention is paid to the right of public performance at common-law, which does not obey statutory limitations but instead offers blanket protection to rights holders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of University of Cincinnati Law Review is the property of University of Cincinnati and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)