Tape system curbs rejected by Japan

Press, 13 January 1987, Page 22

Tape system curbs rejected by Japan

NZPA Vancouver Japanese electronics manufacturers have rejected appeals from United States and European record companies to support legislation requiring copyright protection in a new form of tape recording. A day-long meeting of top executives,' including the Sony chairman, Akio Morita, and Warner Brothers Records chairman, Mo Ostin, failed to resolve differences over the new process, called digital audio tape recording (DAT), according to statements released by each delegation. “We had hoped for a positive, constructive response that would be sensitive to the rights and career needs of our artists, our songwriters and our companies. “Instead, we found these concerns unheeded and the makers of DAT will ignore our copyrights,” said Nesuhi Ertegun, chairman of W.E.A. International, which owns Warner Brothers Records.

Digital audio tape embodies perfect digitallyrecorded sound in a cassette tape about half the size of a conventional audio cassette. Essentially, it is the cassette version of the popular compact disc. However, the compact disc can only play, not record, and United States and European record companies fear consumers will use the new technology to tape prerecorded music and avoid paying copyright fees. The record companies have been seeking legislation that would require manufacturers to insert computer chips into recorders that would make it difficult to copy recordings.

The Japanese delegation rejected the idea. “We believe the digital audio recorder, like every other consumer electronics product, will be j

used wisely and responsibly by consumers to the benefit of the hardware and recording industries alike,” said Shoichi Saba, chairman of Toshiba. The Japanese group also said: “any legislation curtailing the availability or features of DAT out of concern for consumer

home taping would be misguided and self-defeat-ing.” The U.S.-European delegation said it would prepare "aggressive music industry initiatives in the U.S. Congress and the European Economic Community to secure implementing legislation.”

A DAT recorder was recently exhibited for the first time in Tokyo. Sony and Matsushita hoped to release DAT recorders before the end of this year, but decided to wait at least six months, partly out of fears of protectionist moves in Europe, industry analysts said.