The mainstream media has focused on the substantive foreign policy credentials of Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), recently chosen by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama to be his vice presidential candidate. This is appropriate, as it clearly is a major factor in Obama’s decision.
I view all things through a very parochial lens, however, copyright. And [...]

I’m enjoying seeing Olympians compete in Beijing. I’m not happy with the way the Chinese government has been conducting itself during the Games, particularly when it promised upon receiving the 2008 Games to adhere to international standards on human rights.
In short — as the Olympics progress, crackdowns on dissidents in China appear to actually be [...]

We talk about a digital divide in this country, but there is a very real one in the Arab world, with only an estimated 5 million Arabs online. So how do you reach 300 million Arabs across 22 countries? With a satellite channel, as Wagdy Sawahel reports in IP Watch.
A new satellite channel based in [...]

In a potentially ground-breaking move, the six largest Internet service providers in the United Kingdom have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with hundreds of UK record companies via the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and with the Motion Picture Association with the intent of reducing infringing traffic of creative works online.
The MoU grew out of [...]

What spurs a country that otherwise looks the other way at piracy and counterfeiting to suddenly crack down on the crime? The same thing that drives the world — self-interest.

Earlier today the International Anti-Piracy Caucus led by Sens. Biden
(D-Del.) and Smith (R-Ore.) and Reps. Schiff (D-Cal.) and Goodlatte (R-Va.)
released the 2008
International Piracy Watch List. The actual list is here, 
Goodlatte and Schiff both focused on the troubles with copyright enforcement in
Russia and China, which were also recently singled out by the U.S.

The chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America addressed a
packed ballroom at the National Press Club today as part of the NPC's Luncheon
Series. Thus Dan Glickman drew at
least as large of a crowd as the NPC morning speaker, the Rev.
Jeremiah Wright. I heard Glickman, I did not hear Wright; I suspect the
former was less controversial than the latter, but Glickman did wade into the
choppy waters of international trade while emphasizing the importance of
combating piracy through law enforcement, international cooperation, and

On Friday U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab released the latest
Special 301 report, which highlights the nations most flagrantly violating
international treaties on intellectual property protection. You can see our
praise for the USTR's latest efforts in a statement
we released Friday. (See highlights of our statement and others in Associated

I had the opportunity to hear celebrated Indian filmmaker Bobby Bedi on the Hill last night. Well, let me say I heard him, but it was hard to understand him, because the high stone walls of the Rayburn foyer are not conducive to good acoustics, and my ears have never been very sharp since a series of ear infections as a child.

I managed to make out the gist of his speech, though, namely that he wished there were more IP protection in his country, that doing so would boost the Indian economy, and that while Hollywood makes much of its money off of redistribution (pay-per-view, broadcast rights, DVDs), Bollywood makes maybe 5% from redistribution.

Well, China, it's a start. Variety, I look forward to your follow-up story after the summer Olympics.