arethinn: glowing green spiral (Default)
Arethinn ([personal profile] arethinn) wrote2007-11-02 01:18 pm

(no subject)

if:book pointed to an article on Wired today:

"...the complex structure of tacitly-permitted copyright violation that powers the participatory fan culture around commercially-produced manga. Though the countless fan publications that take existing, copyrighted characters and repurpose them in new, surreal or pornographic environments are in explicit violation of copyright, the industry maintains an anmoku no ryokai ('unspoken, implicit agreement')... It's interesting to speculate on whether J K Rowling's publishers have the same attitude to the legions of fan writers busy generating Harry Potter slashfic; whether fanfic and slashfic is considered a meaningful contribution to the industries it riffs off, the way fan publications are recognised as such in the manga industry; and whether the idea of an anmoku no ryokai might be a useful addition to existing practice around copyright in a 'read/write' culture."

I like the phrase "read/write culture". I don't think the publishers consider it meaningful in the sense of "generates further revenue for the series/franchise", though.