> It's partly Disney (and the Gershwin estate) but the 56-year term was extended in 1976 to bring the US in line with the Berne Convention life-plus-50 term used in the rest of the world. The current life-plus-70 term originated in Germany, spread to the rest of the EU and then was adopted in the US for "harmonization" with Europe.
I'm not sure that is the reason why it was extended, but that was definitely the excuse they used. The reason I doubt their intentions is the fact that they made it retroactive instead of applying it to new works.
I'm not sure that is the reason why it was extended, but that was definitely the excuse they used. The reason I doubt their intentions is the fact that they made it retroactive instead of applying it to new works.