Winnie the Pooh to Enter the Public Domain in 2022

The closest equivalent to current television’s programming is the Australian show Bluey.

Took less than 30 seconds.

"When Conan Doyle came back to Holmes in the Copyrighted Stories between 1923 and 1927, it was no longer enough that the Holmes character was the most brilliant rational and analytical mind. Holmes needed to be human. The character needed to develop human connection and empathy."

This seems surprising given:

"I fear that it is at a cost which will give pain to my friends, and especially, my dear Watson, to you." - The Final Problem (1894)

"“My dear Watson,” said the well-remembered voice, “I owe you a thousand apologies. I had no idea that you would be so affected.” - The Empty House (1903)

“Upon my word, Watson!” said Holmes at last with an unsteady voice, “I owe you both my thanks and an apology. It was an unjustifiable experiment even for one’s self, and doubly so for a friend. I am really very sorry.”“You know,” I answered with some emotion, for I have never seen so much of Holmes’s heart before, “that it is my greatest joy and privilege to help you.” - The Devil's Foot (1910)

For instance, look at Dmitri Glukhovsky and his Metro books - be basically allowed anyone to write any books placed within the same universe, still using the "Metro" logo and characters. Dozens of other books appeared, telling the tales of other metro systems elsewhere in the world and how they've dealt with the apocalypse - but the point is, all those other books have only increased the popularity of the original, and expanded it.

The other good example, weirdly, was always Star Wars books - especially pre-Disney star wars was very lenient with what stories could be told, and unless it was just straight up smut it would be allowed - as a result, star wars fans had hundreds(thousands?) Of books telling stories with their favourite characters and new ones but taking place in the universe they loved. Yes Lucas took a cut, but in general you could just write a book about Han Solo and it would be fine.

That's how copyright should work. Why not let other people tell stories with Pooh and the rest?

> Prior to the statute's enactment in 1710, copying restrictions were authorized by the Licensing of the Press Act 1662. These restrictions were enforced by the Stationers' Company, a guild of printers given the exclusive power to print—and the responsibility to censor—literary works.

Proof that forever-copyrights stifle innovation.

It's a balance. No money and people who need to eat have to dig ditches instead of creating. A hundred years of monopoly when fourteen would have been enough and you're constraining third parties more than you're providing incentive to the original author.

That said it might not lead to the maximum benefits, but it should lead to the maximum diversity.

Expect the furries to have lots of fun with this. Is that innovation? Things are always more nuanced than they appear.

It's the easiest lobbying in the world to extend copyright terms. There are waaay more important one-issue topics on the table than to worry about mickey mouse.

If Disney wants to extend it, they will. And if they do there might be 15 seconds of bad press, then the next big story will come along...

We’re now at 70 years after the creator’s death, and there’s just far too much money being made. They come up with terms like “modern copyright” and use words like “protection” and “investment”, but at the end of the day it’s big companies using whatever leverage they can in order to stay big.

If someone knows what I’m talking about, please cite. I do not have enough memory shreds for a good Google search. I think it was a “mild” coercion to “bring other countries up to date”, talking about how artists were essentially being robbed in countries where the copyright had not fallen in line with this 50-70 years past the creator’s death.

https://publicdomaincharacters.tumblr.com/post/6601842354114...

That kind of thing doesn’t always work though. For example, Lego has repeatedly attempted to trademark their brick shape in various venues after the patents expired. Their many resulting lawsuits against Mega Bloks have (to my knowledge) been generally unsuccessful, because the functional elements of an interlocking brick design turn out not to be trademarkable.