Digital Economy Act - Extension to the Public Lending Right is a Triumph for Authors

LONDON, April 14, 2010 - The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) has been working with
the All Party Writers Group (APWG) and the Department of Culture, Media and
Sport (DCMS) since 2008 pushing for a review of the current remit of Public
Lending Right (PLR). PLR remunerates authors for the lending of their books
in public libraries.

ALCS was founded over thirty years ago as part of a campaign by writers
to secure fair remuneration for library lending and today, on behalf of UK
writers, it collects fees from PLR schemes all over Europe.

Whilst changes in technology have taken place, and with the advent of
audio-books and e-books, no author has yet received compensation for the
lending of these in UK Libraries. The new measures set out in the Digital
Economy Act should address this and ensure that the UK PLR scheme will reward
writers fairly as public library services embrace the digital age.

ALCS Chief Executive, Owen Atkinson, says: "New legislation to update the
Act regulating PLR has long been overdue. Thousands of authors have already
missed out on remuneration for the lending of audio-books and e-books in
public libraries and PLR legislation needs to be flexible to keep up with the
changes brought about by new technologies. Library users have been used to
having access to these new types of books and it is important that they
continue to do so but it is also only fair that authors benefit from these
new uses of their works. ALCS is delighted that this has been addressed in
the Digital Economy Act and it is vital that PLR funding including the
additional GBP750,000 per year suggested by government for this extension -
and this only equates to 6p per loan - is sheltered from any further cuts the
government may be seeking to make."

Public Lending Right is an important source of income for many writers
and ALCS and the APWG are keen to ensure all writers maintain their ability
to receive fair compensation for any uses of their works.

Notes for Editors

ALCS - Protecting and Promoting Authors' Rights

ALCS protects and promotes authors' rights concerning their intellectual
property and moral rights to ensure they are fully respected and fairly
rewarded. ALCS is committed to fostering an awareness of the value of
copyright issues amongst writers as well as the wider public who use, enjoy
and benefit from the written word in all its forms.

Set up in the wake of the campaign to establish Public Lending Right in
1977, ALCS is a not-for profit company that has distributed a total of GBP230
million to writers since its inception.

In its role promoting and protecting authors' rights, ALCS consults
regularly with policy makers in the UK and Europe over copyright, digital
rights management and intellectual property matters.

ALCS - Sources of Income

ALCS has developed highly specialised knowledge and sophisticated systems
which track writers and their work (both print and audiovisual) against
various secondary uses for which they are due payment. The main sources of
fees due are secondary royalties from: photocopying (through the Copyright
Licensing Agency which is jointly owned by the ALCS and the Publishers
Licensing Society); international Public Lending Right; cable retransmission;
fees from the Educational Recording Agency (ERA) and sources such as blank
tape and machine levies for private copying and small miscellaneous literary
rights.

ALCS - The International Picture

The Society is recognised internationally as a leading authority on
copyright matters and authors' interests. It maintains a close watching brief
on all matters affecting copyright both in the UK and around the world and
makes regular representations to the UK government and to the European
Commission. ALCS pays royalties to Member writers based in 137 countries
around the globe. ALCS has reciprocal arrangements with over 50 collecting
societies around the world.

The All Party Parliamentary Writers Group (APWG)

ALCS has also supported the setting up of the All Party Writers Group
(APWG) chaired by Janet Anderson MP. APWG is a forum for elected
Parliamentarians in Westminster to consider and discuss matters of importance
to writers. As a focal point for authors' interests, with its links to UK
writer organisations, APWG is well placed to draw attention to the current
issues facing writers amongst an audience of decision-makers at Westminster
and beyond.

Notes for Editors

ALCS contact information

ALCS, The Writers' House, 13 Haydon Street, London EC3N 1DB Tel:
+44(0)20-7264-5700; email:alcs@alcs.co.uk Website: www.alcs.co.uk

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Media Contact ALCS, Alison Baxter: +44(0)207-264-5700

Media Contact ALCS, Alison Baxter: +44(0)207-264-5700