[IP] Smithsonian-Showtime Deal

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Carl Malamud <carl@media.org>
Date: April 5, 2006 7:46:00 PM EDT
To: dave@farber.net
Subject: Smithsonian-Showtime Deal

Hi Dave -

For IP if you wish.  The Smithsonian Institution has entered into a
business arrangement with Showtime Networks that gives the new
quasi-public/private joint venture "right of first refusal" over
archival materials.  People like Ken Burns think this is a real
mess.

The part that I found particularly offensive is that the Institution
refused to disclose the terms of the contract.  So, I sent in a
FOIA request.

The text and some background is here:

http://public.resource.org/sunshine.html

Regards,

Carl Malamud
CTO/Sr. Fellow
Center for American Progress


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