Information Society Watch
A Southern Lens on the Information SocietyThe proposed WIPO treaty on the protection of broadcasting and cablecasting organisations
Global Governance
June 2007, South Centre
Discussions for a new treaty to protect broadcasting and cable casting organisations against signal theft at the WIPO are closely linked to the information revolution. This paper argues that member states must carefully strike a 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 (Adapted from author).