Vol. 437 No. 6
289 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that interactive cable can allow the distribution of recordings to consumers without exchange of money for tangible goods; and his views on whether recording companies should have the right to authorise the broadcast of their music in order to protect their creative and financial investment in the making of recordings.
I am aware of the enormous technological advances which can be anticipated in the distribution of recordings via cable. However, under the Copyright Act, 1963, recordings cannot be transmitted by cable without payment of equitable remuneration to the holder of the copyright in the recording whether or not interactive consumer choice is made available.
I am aware, however, that record companies have been seeking a different type of right, i.e. a right to authorise or prohibit a transmission. I will bear this issue in mind in the context of the review of copyright law which I am at present undertaking, and which I intend should reflect a fair balance between the interests of rightholders and consumers.
