Dickens, Disney and copyright

The Disney short Steamboat Willie comes out of copyright in 2024. Back in the 19th century, when copyright rules were less strict, UK authors lost money with US publications.

Mickey Mouse in his first incarnation in a short film from 1928 becomes available for public viewing without infringing Disney's copyright next year. In a programme looking back at the copyright history which affected authors including Charles Dickens and at current questions around legislation, Matthew Sweet is joined by David Bellos, author of Who Owns This Sentence? – A History of Copyrights and Wrongs, Katie McGettigan, lecturer in C19th American literature and Hayleigh Bosher, Reader in Intellectual Property Law at Brunel University London.

Producer: Torquil MacLeod

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44 minutes

Last on

Thu 21 Dec 202322:00

BBC Radio 3

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