How long a copyright lasts depends on the type of work to which it applies and its country of origin. In the European Community the duration of copyright protection has now been harmonised and UK legislation amended accordingly.
For literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works (in any tangible form and regardless of merit) copyright endures for 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author died. If the authorship is unknown then copyright lasts for 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was created or, if the work was made public during that time, for 70 years from the time that it was made public. There is no longer a perpetual copyright in unpublished works.
For published editions of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works there is a 25-year period of copyright in the typography. This means that you may need the publisher's permission as well as that of the author to copy a work.
For films and videos copyright lasts for 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the death occurs of the last to die of
- the principal director
- the author of the screenplay
- the author of the dialogue
- the composer of music specially created for the film.
For broadcasts and cable programmes copyright lasts for 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the broadcast was first made. Repeats do not have separate copyrights.
Copyright in sound recordings lasts for 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which they were made or, if made available to the public during that period, 50 years from the date of release.
Computer-generated works have copyright protection for 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which they were made. Computer-generated works are those ‘untouched by human hand’; they do not include computer programs or works that just happen to be in electronic media (such as hypertexts), both of which categories are defined as literary works.
Databases are protected by copyright for 15 years, but this can extend to infinity since a new copyright comes into existence each time that the database is significantly changed.
SUMMARY OF COPYRIGHT DURATION
Author's Life+70 years
Literary works
Dramatic works
Musical works
Artistic works
Films
Moral rights (protection from false attribution is Life + 20 years)
50 years
Broadcasts
Cable programmes
Computer-generated works
Sound recordings
Performance
25 years
Published editions (typographical arrangement)
15 years to infinity
Databases (a new copyright is created each time the database is significantly upgraded)
.
