[Fsfe-uk] [Creative-friends] The current situation and moving forward (fwd)

[MJ Ray]

I can't handle this fast enough. Can someone pick this up, please? 
Especially point 2. I think it would be good for us if this is 
available in open standard formats, readable with free software.

Of course, I shall contact my MP, as we all can.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 2004-07-06 16:28:35 +0100
From: Rufus Pollock - What is To be Done <address@hidden>
Subject: [Creative-friends] The current situation and moving forward

Dear Friends of the Creative Domain,

As you will know, the public letter which many of you signed was sent 
out a
few weeks ago. We have received positive responses from two MP's, 
Michael
Fabricant and John Thurso as well as notification from DCMS that they 
have
taken account of our comments. It was also great to see the Creative 
Archive
receive a prominent mention in the BBC's own position document on 
charter
renewal (http://www.bbc.co.uk/thefuture/pdfs/bbc_bpv.pdf p.63).

However, it is still unclear what the position of MPs and the 
Department of
Media, Culture and Sport is on an open Creative Archive and whether 
they will
support specific language on the charter. For example we have heard 
that the
select committee on the charter renewal is not yet planning to 
recommend
charter language that would support the BBC's wonderful efforts to 
date.

Given these are the groups who will actually decide the new charter it 
is
important that we make our views known to them on this matter and show 
that
their is strong and deep support for an open Creative Archive. To this 
end we
are pursuing two strategies that you can help out with:

1) MP's have a significant role in this process, and it's important 
that they
hear from constituents who care about the Archive coming to fruition. 
If you
have 5 minutes, visit

        http://www.ukcdr.org/issues/bbc/making_your_views_known.shtml

for information on a quick way to send a letter to your local MP. Pass 
this
link on to friends and mailing lists that might want to participate.

2) The Friends of the Creative Domain letter showed that there was 
*wide*
support for the Creative Archive. Now we want to show that there is 
*deep*
support among the many constituency groups the archive would benefit:
educators, students, digital video creators, documentary makers, remix
artists, archivists, historians, and many more.

If you are a member of a community that would benefit from the 
archive, and
would be willing to help organise a letter from your group to MPs and 
the
charter committee, please contact me via address@hidden We can help 
you draft
and send the letter.

And just so you know who is behind all of this: the Campaign for 
Digital
Rights is taking primary responsbility for organising the campaign, 
with
support from EFF, Creative Commons UK/PCMLP, and Union for the Public 
Domain.

Thanks for all your help!

Rufus Pollock
Campaign for Digital Rights


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--
MJR/slef    My Opinion Only and not of any group I know
http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ for creative copyleft computing
"Before we try to work out if he's competent,
 let's work out if he's conscious." (anon. exam marker)