Digital Convergence and Copyright

NYU IPELS presents

Symposium on Digital Convergence and Copyright

April 7, 2008

The Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Society of NYU School of Law will host a symposium on digital convergence and copyright. The Symposium will be held at NYU School of Law under the aegis of Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy, on Monday, 7th April 2008 between 4 and 7 pm, followed by a cocktail reception.

The Symposium will address copyright issues associated with emerging media services, from both a business as well as legal perspective, discussing digital distriubtion of entertainment and phenomenon that blurs the boundaries between different media and copyrightable subject matters. Panelists will discuss and debate:

- Emerging business models and Digital  Convergence: The convergence of media is occurring all around. Various platforms/formats come together with interchangeable content and new business models emerge to embrace the convergence. This session will examine the current and expected trends in the media market.

- The Service Providers: The intermediary service providers have proven very successful in circumventing liability but event their relative safe positions have been challenged, illustrated inter alia by the recent lawsuit againt YouTube by Viacom. The question that is debated in this context is the one of line drawing between effective enforcement of copyright and access to copyrighted content by the public.

- Fair use and new technology: What is the role of fair use in the digital age and how do we best serve its cause? Examining inter alia the cases of Sony and Google Book Search.

- Digital Rights Management and Digital Millennium Copyright Act: For a decade, federal law has granted copyright owners who use technological protection measures, such as encryption or other forms of DRM, to control their works, special protection against circumvention of those measures. What are the major issues that have arisen in the context of the application of DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions?

- Enforcement of Copyright and Privacy Issues: A liberal rule that is strictly enforced may be more effective than a strict rule loosely enforced. In the context of copyright, an effective enforcement in the digital age calls for new methods of tracking content and its users that is in the constant flux. What is the litmus test and where do we draw the line between protecting copyright on the one hand and the privacy of individuals on the other hand?

Speakers

Professor William Greene
NYU Stern School of Business

Professor Jonathan Zittrain
Co-Founder, Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard Law School
Oxford University (Visiting NYU School of Law)

Professor Jane Ginsburg
Columbia Law School

Professor R. Anthony Reese
University of Texas at Austin School of Law (Visiting NYU School of Law)

Professor Sonia Katyal
Fordham University School of Law

Moderators

Professor Suzanne Scotchmer
University of California, Berkeley (Visiting NYU School of Law)

Professor Katherine Strandburg
DePaul University College of Law (Visiting NYU School of Law)

Time and Location

The symposium will take place at NYU School of Law, Furman Hall (between West Third Street and Sullivan Street). The schedule is as follows:

3.30 pm – 4.00 pm: Registration

4.00 pm – 4.10 pm: Opening Remarks

4.10 pm – 5.15 pm First panel: Emerging Business Models and Digital Convergence

Moderator: Suzanne Scotchmer

Speakers: William Greene and Jonathan Zittrain

5.15 pm – 5.30 pm: Coffee Break

5.30 pm – 7.00 pm: Second Panel: Protecting Copyright in Digital Era

Moderator: Katherine Strandburg

Speakers: Jane Ginsburg, Tony Reese, and Sonia Katyal

CLE Credit

CLE credit is available for attorneys attending the full program. Advance registration by April 3, 2008 is mandatory to receive CLE credit. Attorneys wishing to receive CLE credit must sign in prior to and following the program.

Registration

To register, please email Nicole Arzt at arztn@juris.law.nyu.edu, your name, company/organization you are affiliated with and e-mail address.