Broadcasters to WIPO: Treaty now

Geneva, 17 November 2004 – Broadcasters from all over the world have come to Geneva this week. They are urging governments to update international protection of their signals.

"International piracy of our signals is a major problem," said Vic Fernandes, President of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union.

"Broadcasters play an essential role in making available news, sports, entertainment and comment on social, cultural and political issues. For broadcasters to serve these vital functions we must have a modern legal framework.  Such protection will benefit those who provide the content," contended Hezekiel Oira, representative of the Union of National Broadcasting Organizations of Africa (URTNA).

Unfortunately a few civil society organizations have engaged in a conspiracy of obfuscation and fear mongering by claiming that this Treaty would result in a dilution of free speech and obstruct the flow of information. 

"These claims are false and misleading and undermine a Treaty which will be of great benefit to broadcasters in developing countries," said Maloli Manalastas, Chair of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union's Copyright Committee and a Philippine broadcaster.

Contact:

Moira Burnett, Legal Adviser, tel.:+41 (0)22 717 25 05, e-mail: daj@ebu.ch.

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