CI KTN believes creative SMEs and consumers will benefit from proposed changes to copyright and IP frameworks

London, 25 May, 2011 – The CI KTN, part of the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board with a remit to promote creativity and innovation in the UK's creative industries, today welcomed Professor Ian Hargreaves’ proposed changes to copyright and IP law.

Jeremy Davenport, deputy director at the CI KTN commented: “The creative industries play a major role in driving the UK’s economic growth. We believe the proposals made in this review could increase innovation and revenue generation within new and existing creative ventures, as well as allowing them to fully exploit their IP in an increasingly open environment.”

The CI KTN – created by a consortium led by the University of the Arts with partners including Imperial College London, RIBA and TIGA and has around 5000 SME members spanning the creative industries – believes that of all the recommendations now under consideration, the proposals for a Digital Copyright Exchange and better access to IP advice for smaller companies will have the biggest impact on the creative industries.

The proposed Digital Copyright Exchange could support this by playing a potentially significant role in helping businesses buy and sell licenses in their creative content. According to Davenport, “this could drive down the costs of exploitation and protection, and ultimately help create a more level playing field.”

Evidence from the CI KTN’s own IP & Open Source Beacon project also backed up the Review’s emphasis on the need for affordable IP advice. Martin Brassell, CEO of project leaders Inngot commented: “The creative industries form an “ecosystem” where small companies are predominant. Collectively, they represent an economic powerhouse, and invest an estimated £20 billion a year in copyright assets. Individually, though, they face difficulties competing effectively in a globalised market. IP strategy is crucial in developing successful business models and more firms need to take advice on how best to leverage it.”

Changing consumer behaviour is also placing new pressures on businesses within the creative industries. Given these factors the CI KTN was encouraged by the Review’s proposal to ‘legalise’ format shifting.  Davenport said, “The Review found that 73 per cent of consumers do not realise they are breaking the law when uploading or downloading digital content, so a change is clearly needed. And we need new technical and marketing solutions to protect businesses and consumers and help users distinguish between authorised and unauthorised content sources.”

While the majority of attention has focused on the potential benefits that the Review will deliver for businesses, the CI KTN also recognises the positive impact that the recommendations could have on consumers.

Davenport concluded: “As well as the copyright and IP recommendations we’re also pleased to see an emphasis being placed on design by Professor Hargreaves. Another of our recent Beacon projects, Bridging the Digital and Physical Worlds, which focused on the impact of new technologies like 3D printing and tablets, found these new technologies open up fantastic potential for consumers to become involved in the design and creation process, as well as offering them a whole new way to interact with content.”

To coincide with the CI KTN’s submission of evidence to the Review on behalf of its members, the CI KTN and Inngot finalised the IP and Open Source Beacon project. The project was created with Martin Brassell and the Inngot team and ran from September 2010 to March 2011. It took in views and experiences from a broad range of creative industry sectors including performing arts, design, advertising, radio and TV, film and video, music, publishing, video games and software, using expert interviews, workshops and a national online survey.

If you would like to hear a podcast response from the CI KTN and Inngot to the Hargreaves review please click on this link https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/intellectual-property-and-open-source/articles/-/blogs/4069796