Music Piracy Law Changes

Well it's about time!

Lifted from my favourite music industry guru Christie Elizer:

* Consumers can transfer material from CDs to iPods, MP3 players and computers. But passing on copied material to others remains a breach of copyright.

* They can legally record TV and radio programs for one-off private viewing but not to be played in public.

* New measures to combat piracy will include on-the-spot fines, proceeds of crime remedies, a change in presumptions in litigation to make it easier to establish copyright piracy.

* The Australian Institute of Criminology will be asked to undertake research into the extent of piracy and counterfeiting in Australia and the best methods of responding to the problem.

* Copyright material can be used for parody or satire.

* Will remove the 37-year old statutory cap on licence fees paid by commercial radio broadcasters for using sound recordings. "There is no reason why a statute should determine what the rate should be for music played on the radio," Ruddock said.

Yes, previously the law did not allow you to make any copies of your CDs or legal MP3s! It's been coming for the better part of the last 15 years, and finally - the moment has arrived.