MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1993
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OFFICIAL MAPPING PRODUCTS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
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THE SURVEY AND MAPPING OFFICE OF THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT TODAY (MONDAY) REITERATED THAT ALL OFFICIAL MAPPING PRODUCTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT AND THEREFORE PERMISSION IS REQUIRED FOR REPRODUCING ANY OF THEM IN ANY PUBLICATIONS.
THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT LAND SURVEYOR, MR GORDON ANDREASSEND, WHO HEADS THE OFFICE, SAID IN ACTUAL PRACTICE, PERMISSION WAS NORMALLY GRANTED ON PAYMENT OF A MODERATE ROYALTY FEE, AND ON CONDITION THAT AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE MAP SOURCE WAS SPECIFIED.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH ROYALTY FRES
WOULD BE DISCOUNTED OR EXEMPTED, HE ADDED.
THE OFFICE PRODUCES A SERIES OF MAPS, AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS, TOURISTS DIRECTORY AND LEISURE GUIDES DEPICTING THE FAST CHANGING FACETS OF HONG KONG, AND THESE ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT VARIOUS OUTLETS.
THE ANNUAL REVENUE GENERATED FROM MAP SALES AMOUNTED TO $4 MILLION, AND THE FIGURE IS STEADILY ON THE RISE.
MR ANDREASSEND SAID ALL THESE MAP
PRODUCTS ARE PROTECTED BY
COPYRIGHT.
MAPPING MATERIAL
IS MOST PRODUCTS
WHILE LEGITIMATE USAGE OF OFFICIAL WELCOME, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ALL MAPS, PLANS AND RELATED ARE TREATED BY COPYRIGHT LAW AS ORIGINAL LITERARY OR ARTISTIC WORKS, HE SAID.
"THE GOVERNMENT, AS THE ORIGINAL PRODUCER OF THESE MAPPING PRODUCTS, IS THE OWNER OF THE COPYRIGHT WHICH LASTS FOR 50 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.
"THEREFORE, PERMISSION SHOULD FIRST BE OBTAINED BEFORE REPRODUCING THEM, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN ANY PUBLICATION, HE SAID.
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IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT UNAUTHORISED REPRODUCTION OF OFFICIAL MAPPING MATERIALS IN THE MEDIA, SUCH AS BOOKS, MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS STEPPED UP PROTECTION OF COPYRIGHT.
"DURING THE PAST FINANCIAL YEAR, MORE THAN $167,000 OF ROYALTY FEES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED, COMPARING WITH ONLY $55,000 COLLECTED DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR, MR ANDREASSEND SAID.
HE SAID IGNORANCE OF COPYRIGHT LAWS WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED AS JUSTIFIABLE EXCUSE FOR ANY INFRINGEMENT.
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A COMPREHENSIVE MAP CATALOGUE GIVING DETAILS OF SCALE, COVERAGE AND PRICE AND A SCALE OF THE ROYALTY CHARGES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE MAP SALES OUTLETS.
CONTACT 14TH FLOOR,
USERS WHO HAVE ANY QUERIES REGARDING MAP COPYRIGHT CAN THE DEPARTMENT'S MAP INFORMATION AND SERVICES SECTION AT MURRAY BUILDING, OR ON 848 6273.
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