Speaking truth to power is an experience unlike any I have had before. It is at once intimidating, exhilarating, difficult and yet also strangely easy. On Sept 27th I testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of the small claims bill commonly referred to as The CASE Act. The days prior were a whirlwind of office meetings, strategy sessions and a crash course in what it means to show up on The Hill with…
Before a gallery filled with ASMP and PPA members, the testimony of former ASMP National Board Chair, Jenna Close, made a powerful impact on House Judiciary Committee members today. Close’s testimony, along with the testimonies of Keith Kupferschmid, CEO of the Copyright Alliance, and David Trust, CEO of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), confirmed for the Committee that it is critical that Congress enact the CASE Act because it would provide small creators with…
9.24.18 Editor’s Note: If hearing schedule should change before Thursday, ASMP will post update here and notify those on the sign up form. On Thursday, September 27th, the House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony about the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act. Jenna Close, former ASMP National Board Chair, will be testifying at the hearing in support of the bill, which if enacted would create a Small Claims Tribunal within the United States Copyright…
Editor’s Note: ASMP and other US groups are reviewing the legislation as it pertains to US creators, and while it may be determined that this initial legislation may not cover all the bases, it is a starting point for establishing stronger protections for creators doing business in Europe. Cross-posted from reuters.com [by Foo Yun Chee] STRASBOURG — European Union lawmakers voted on Wednesday to force Google, Facebook <FB.O > and other technology firms to share…
ASMP’s small claims advocacy efforts over the past year have met with success! The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing on the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act on Thursday, September 27th at 2:00pmET (Room 2141 in the Rayburn House Office Building), located at 45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515. Former ASMP National Board Chair, Jenna Close, will be testifying at the hearing in support of the bill, which if enacted would…
As part of ASMP’s commitment to protecting photographers’ rights, we often work with other organizations to prepare “amicus briefs” in cases around the country and in front of the Supreme Court. This document helps the justices realize the real-world implications of their rulings on our membership, and as such, is a vitally important document in our legal actions. An amicus brief is being filed in the Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.com case that…
The U.S. Copyright Office has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announcing fee increases for copyright registration and other services. The proposed fee increases are based on a Study Report released by the U.S. Copyright office. Fee increases for services will be implemented as the U.S. Copyright Office moves forward with their plans for IT modernization. Visual creators’ professional organizations and advocates are concerned about how these fee increases will affect visual creators, licensing agents,…
ASMP Executive Director’s Note: I urge members to support the international drive to free Shahidul Alam immediately. Â It is unconscionable that the government of Bangladesh jail him over comments made about a dangerous situation he was reporting on as a journalist. Â The government of Bangladesh needs to end immediately policies that are targeting journalists such as Shahidul Alam and making it very dangerous to operate freely to report stories of importance to Bangladeshi citizens. Â This…
 Editor’s Update: ASMP is aware that the Copyright Alliance survey is related to general copyright registrations, and as such, ASMP and its partner visual creator groups are in the process of producing a similar survey more directly geared to photographers and graphic artists which will be made available to members by the end of August. As has been previously communicated, the U.S. Copyright Office is proposing an increase in fees for copyright registration applications…
Editor’s note: While ASMP continues to advocate for copyright reform directives that protect the intellectual property of members in the US, we want our members to be apprised of actions related to copyright directives taking place in international forums. Cross-posted from bbc.com [by Rory Cella-Jones] Did European politicians succumb to pressure from Silicon Valley and its powerful lobbying machine when they voted down a measure which would have rewarded publishers and artists? This week’s Tech…