The Digital Media Project

 

Source

Philip Merrill

Title

TRU #80 contracting for middle-men to release

No.

040912merrill03

 

Name:

Philip Merrill

Affiliation/additional information:

Active Contributor, Pasadena, California

Date submitted:

2004/09/12

 

#

Criteria

Description

1.

Name of TRU

TRU contracting for middle-men to release

2.

Summary description of TRU

Authors and other creators of media periodically need the distribution services provided by Middle-men who can arrange for the creator's media to be released.

3.

Use records of TRU

The concept of a "release" has most commonly been associated with packaged music media. This could be short for "release from embargo" since retailers have generally received shipments they are embargoed from selling until a specific release date.

4.

Nature of TRU

This is one of a group of TRUs that also includes:

As described above, "release" implies that people have been holding on to copies of something, so that when they release it they let go of it so to speak. In terms of the law, this is indeed a very big relinquishing of control, because as with publishing, once it is out there, users are able to make some copies of parts of it based on exceptions and limitations to TRU reproduction, or transfer ownership such as the U.S. example of "first sale". So by releasing something, one is in a sense really putting it out there for mass use to take over (or fade out).

5.

Benefits of TRU

Authors (and/or other creators) and middle-men benefit most directly, but End-Users would never know of many media they might like to consume were it not for this TRU and the diligent efforts of middle-men.

6.

Possible digital support

It is too hard to know what this word "release" should really mean on a digital level, because it is so general that it might be a fitting generalisation for any publication or other making available of Digital Media. Is any "making available" of Digital Media a "release"?

7.

Requirements

none at this time