Policy Brief No. 8 - June 2007

Executive Summary

Discussions for a new treaty to protect broadcasting and cablecasting organizations against signal theft at the WIPO are closely linked to the information evolution. Member States must carefully balance between granting increased protection to certain segments of broadcasting media to protect their commercial interests with safeguarding the public interest in access and use of the content that is broadcast. Accordingly, the proposed treaty should narrowly focus on signal theft, excluding any intellectual-property type rights and technical mandates. If rights are included, these must be balanced by a robust regime for limitations and exceptions.

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A Development Analysis of the proposed WIPO Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting & Cablecasting

Research Paper 9 - January 2007

by Viviana Munoz Tellez and Andrew Chege Waitara

Executive Summary (excerpt)

Since 1998, Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have discussed the creation of a new international instrument for the protection of broadcasting organizations. It is possible that final negotiations on a treaty on the protection of broadcasting organizations, including cablecasting organizations, will be initiated and conclude sometime in 2007.