Chris
Re: your comment on running costs of copyright systems:
Speaking only for the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS),I
should point out that we are a *non-profit making* organisation ensuring
'creative people (especially freelance ones) get a fair return on their
labour' - to use Fytton Rowland's words. We were set up by writers to
benefit writers of all genres, at the last count numbering 20,000 on our
database.
After almost 20 years of operation with a membership that is expanding day
by day, judging from the registration forms that land on my desk alone, we
are constantly aware of the fact that we are accountable to our member
writers for our expenditure. Annual membership of ALCS costs £5.88 and
operational costs are covered by a 10% commission charged on fees collected
and distributed (13% for non-members). It's a fine balancing act between
ensuring as much money as possible gets back to individual writers and
funding an operation that has to be labour and IT intensive if we're in the
game of tracking down each writer in person. And it doesn't stop there:
we're always on the look out for new sources of royalties in the UK and from
overseas.
ALCS is a lean operation and intends to remain that way.
If you, Mike or anyone else out there are thinking to get together to
discuss these issues, an academics' strike, negotiation with NATFHE etc,
ALCS will be willing to set up and sponsor a meeting. Finally, NUJ members
have now been offered (and are taking up in droves) associate membership of
ALCS.
Joy F A Foster
Higher Education Project Manager
Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society
Isis House
74 New Oxford Street
London
WC1A 1EF
Tel: 0171 255 2034
Fax: 0171 323 0486
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