SectionsResLife: No more movies
Ashley Jones
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
Residence halls are no longer allowed to show movies to their residents due to copyright laws, said an official from Residence Life and Services, however, movies are still allowed to be shown in Plaster Student Union.
"Movies cannot be shown in public areas of the residence halls due to copyright laws," said Denise Baumann, the associate director for ResLife. "At the beginning of each movie you rent or own, you'll see the notice that warns against public showing of the video."
Baumann said residents watching a movie on a TV in a residence hall counts as a public showing because it is a public area.
"We do not consider the residence halls to be public areas," she said. "We do, however, consider lounges to be public areas of the residence halls as anyone in the building can use them."
Baumann said nothing prompted this decision, and ResLife needs to follow the law.
"Student Activities Council can show movies in the PSU because they rent the movie from a company," she said "The agreement they sign allows them to show the movie in a public place."
Baumann said this option is available to ResLife if they choose to sign an agreement with a company.
Mark Paxton, a professor of media law, said copyright laws give the holder the exclusive right to display a protected work.
Paxton said watching a movie at home doesn't violate copyright laws, but the law is violated if a movie is shown to a large audience, such as in a dorm.
"If each person who watched such a movie were forced to acquire it himself or herself, the copyright holder would be compensated," he said. "But, if they watch it in mass, the copyright holder benefits from the distribution of only one copy."
Alison Bitza, the films chair for Student Activities Council, said before SAC can show a film it has to purchase a license.
Bitza said a license costs several hundred dollars per film but gives SAC the rights to show the film in a public setting.
"We work with the company Swank to purchase our licenses," she said. "After we order the films, they are sent to us a few days before the showings. Because most of the movies we show are pre-home releases, they are sent to us on VHS. After the film is shown, we send it back to the company."
Bitza said if a license is not purchased and a film is shown, it is considered copyright infringement. If the residence halls were willing to purchase the rights to the films, they would be able to show them, as well.
Chelsea Putnam, a sophomore political science major and resident of Hutchens House, said she hadn't heard the residence halls couldn't show movies anymore.
"I think it's kind of a stupid rule, but it doesn't bother me that much," Putnam said.
"Movies cannot be shown in public areas of the residence halls due to copyright laws," said Denise Baumann, the associate director for ResLife. "At the beginning of each movie you rent or own, you'll see the notice that warns against public showing of the video."
Baumann said residents watching a movie on a TV in a residence hall counts as a public showing because it is a public area.
"We do not consider the residence halls to be public areas," she said. "We do, however, consider lounges to be public areas of the residence halls as anyone in the building can use them."
Baumann said nothing prompted this decision, and ResLife needs to follow the law.
"Student Activities Council can show movies in the PSU because they rent the movie from a company," she said "The agreement they sign allows them to show the movie in a public place."
Baumann said this option is available to ResLife if they choose to sign an agreement with a company.
Mark Paxton, a professor of media law, said copyright laws give the holder the exclusive right to display a protected work.
Paxton said watching a movie at home doesn't violate copyright laws, but the law is violated if a movie is shown to a large audience, such as in a dorm.
"If each person who watched such a movie were forced to acquire it himself or herself, the copyright holder would be compensated," he said. "But, if they watch it in mass, the copyright holder benefits from the distribution of only one copy."
Alison Bitza, the films chair for Student Activities Council, said before SAC can show a film it has to purchase a license.
Bitza said a license costs several hundred dollars per film but gives SAC the rights to show the film in a public setting.
"We work with the company Swank to purchase our licenses," she said. "After we order the films, they are sent to us a few days before the showings. Because most of the movies we show are pre-home releases, they are sent to us on VHS. After the film is shown, we send it back to the company."
Bitza said if a license is not purchased and a film is shown, it is considered copyright infringement. If the residence halls were willing to purchase the rights to the films, they would be able to show them, as well.
Chelsea Putnam, a sophomore political science major and resident of Hutchens House, said she hadn't heard the residence halls couldn't show movies anymore.
"I think it's kind of a stupid rule, but it doesn't bother me that much," Putnam said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
David
posted 4/29/09 @ 5:51 PM CST
If an individual rents a movie and watches it in a lounge they are violating copyright law?
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