Vatican rides the copyright road
p2p news / p2pnet: Has Pope Benedict XVI been talking to the US music, movie and software cartels about copyright "pirates"?
"For the first time all papal documents, including encyclicals, will be governed by copyright invested in the official Vatican publishing house, the Libreria Editrice Vaticana," says the Times.
And the edict is retroactive, "covering not only the writings of the present pontiff – as Pope and as cardinal – but also those of his predecessors over the past 50 years," says the story, going on:
"A Milanese publishing house that had issued an anthology containing 30 lines from Pope Benedict’s speech to the conclave that elected him and an extract from his enthronement speech is reported to have been sent a bill for €15,000 (£10,000). This was made up of 15 per cent of the cover price of each copy sold plus ‘legal expenses’ of €3,500."
The Times has the Union of Italian Catholic Publishers and Booksellers saying it hadn’t been consulted, and that the edict, "flies in the face of what we do – spreading the Pope’s message to the world".
But a Vatican spokesman is quoted as saying the Holy See had to defend itself against "pirated editions," among other things.
Newspapers can publish extracts from papal documents without charge once they were officially released, but only by "prior agreement," adds the story.
Also See:
Times – Vatican ‘cashes in’ by putting price on the Pope’s copyright, January 23, 2006
January 23rd, 2006 at 6:56 pm
so is it about money or control over what can be reported/printed?
January 23rd, 2006 at 6:59 pm
This proves what many have been saying for a long time. The Catholic Church has lost its way, and is now a for profit business.
January 23rd, 2006 at 7:02 pm
Probably both.
January 23rd, 2006 at 7:35 pm
And it was non-profit when?? There was a reason Vikings used to raid churches and abbys, they were stuffed with gold.
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:48 pm
Must wonder…
Will the Church noe pay all the “volunteer” writers that up to now have been working for free?
Will the American copyright law exemption for churches be eliminated, so the churches will need licenses to use songs in church, like everyone else?
Will the American government follow the Vatican example?
January 23rd, 2006 at 10:45 pm
The pope copyrights the Bible.
January 24th, 2006 at 1:07 am
I got a better one,now religion has to pay TAXES!
January 24th, 2006 at 10:44 am
This is good news!
This means that less religious propaganda will reach out.
Fewer children will be indoctrinated to beleive by blind faith.
Hope they start charging for entrance to churches.
January 24th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
âDonatingâ to the collection plate isn’t really optional
January 24th, 2006 at 10:27 pm
It’s the Catholic church. They’ve always been about control & money. The sanctuary of hypocrites. They should start getting rid of their child molester priests & stop worrying about people using their words. Their words aren’t worth anything anyway.
January 24th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
Well, I hope it will encourage the publications of authentic papal documents. Chukwuemeka Onyeriri, C.Ss.R.
January 25th, 2006 at 12:42 am
Are you some kind of moron? Just pass the plate on, sucker.