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Sound Recording In Canada

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Sound Recording in Canada, not regulated by the Government

Introduction
Sound recording was initially invented in 1857 by Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville. The development of sound recording has gone through multiple stages to become what it is today. From phonographs to magnetic tapes and further developments, sound recording has been used within the music industry for ages. The government does not regulate the process of sound recording, however conflicts regarding copyright infringements are present.
Brief History
An academic article written by Linda M. Fidler and William L. Schurk titled “Sound Recording Archives” discusses the history of sound recording. During the 1960, the preservation of sound recording “saw major changes in the …show more content…

As sound recording is intangible, it is hard to use in the same way as a tangible item such as a novel, when managing regulations and privacy concerns. There have been a variety of issues to determine who actually owns the sound that has been created. It could be the artist, producer, or a sound engineer who has worked on that particular sound. By illegally downloading or sharing a sound recording, an individual is harming the original creator. Video recordings with sound are greatly present in concerts and different musical events. This process is not regulated, however the recording may only be used for personal usage and not aimed towards creating a profit, which on the other hand is illegal. The result can be seen within Alex Cummings book titled “Democracy of Sound”. Cummings argues “Such moral convictions may help to explain the hard shift toward stronger copyright laws in America during the last four years” (Cummings 2). As mentioned earlier, personalized usage of such recordings is acceptable, but distribution of the material is not. The Canadian government has defined sound recording as “musical work” and it states, “musical work means any work of music or musical composition, with or without words, and includes any compilation thereof” (Copyright Act). “Copyright, which recognizes and protects artists’ creations as ‘intellectual property’, will be a …show more content…

Broadcasting is “$14 billion industry that includes radio and television, as well as the distribution services of cable, satellite, and, increasingly the Internet and mobile devices” (Gasher, Skinner, Lorimer 218). The Canadian government regulates broadcasting because “it serves national, cultural, and political goals” (Gasher, Skinner, Lorimer 219). The reason for comparing regulations between sound recording and broadcasting is the fact that a great proportion of radio broadcasting is recorded music. “There is a significant symbiosis between radio broadcast policy and policies designed to encourage the production and dissemination of Canadian music” (Gasher, Skinenr, Lorimer 225). Radio broadcasters are required to have a license in order to broadcast music through their channel. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is in charge of issuing these licenses to broadcasters. “Today, the CRTC’s duties in the broadcasting field include: issuing and renewing licenses, up to a maximum of seven years, modifying existing license conditions, and suspending or revoking licenses” (Gasher, Skinner, Lorimer 221). It is evident that the use of sound recordings within the field of broadcasting is strictly regulated. This further develops an idea that the sound recording industry will become regulated within the future, as it is present in such a vast

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