The Walt Disney Company has done more to change this country’s copyright law in the past two decades than was done in the previous centuries. It is not a stretch to suggest that as a company, they understand and appreciate copyright and its value more than most. It is also not a stretch to say they have taken incredible advantage of the public domain to expand their empire.
So, yes, we’re choking-back-laughter-amused when we read comments like this:
Disney contends the copyright in the U.S. expired before the 1998 law and the book now resides in the public domain.
I’m not so much amused as appalled. It’s kind of a PR black-eye for Disney that they’re “stealing” money from sick children. One would think their own PR people would point what a nightmare this could be for them.
Amazing how they love their own copyrights, huh?
Wow, that’s appalling!