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For more information, contact:
Eugene Mopsik, Executive Director
American Society of Media Photographers
Phone (215) 451-2767
Email mopsik@asmp.org
'Orphan Works' bill dies in committee
Independent photographers and illustrators are breathing a sigh of relief: The latest Orphan Works bill (the Copyright Modernization Act of 2006, HR 6052) appears to have died in committee. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), announced that he was withdrawing the bill from consideration at that markup session, which is likely to be the last one this year. He said that he did not see any reasonable chance that it would be signed into law in the current Congress. He also said that he plans to introduce another bill when the new Congress convenes next year.
The efforts of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and its allies in representing and organizing members' opposition to the bill, bolstered by many expressions of concern from individual photographers and illustrators, played a significant role in stopping the legislation. In addition, Rep. Smith's move of tying the Orphan Works legislation to a digital music licensing bill appears to have created the additional opposition needed to stop the bill in this Congress.
ASMP president Clem Spalding said, "Our efforts have paid off! This is great news! Now, ASMP will continue to work with our allies in an effort to improve future Orphan Works legislation and diminish the potential liability and burden for visual artists."
This battle has been won, but the war is not over. ASMP will be watching closely to be sure that the bill does not suddenly reappear in any late-fall, "lame duck" session. And we will start drafting our own version of a new bill, favorable to photographers and artists, for possible introduction in the next Congress.
About ASMP
Founded in 1944, the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is the leading trade association for photographers who photograph primarily for publication. ASMP promotes photographers' rights, educates photographers in better business practices, produces business publications for photographers, and helps buyers find professional photographers. It has more than 5,000 members, including many of the world's greatest photographers, in 40 chapters nationwide.