Creative Reading

Litman argues that by ignoring the central importance of readers, listeners, viewers, and players in the copyright scheme, the essential policy question in determining whether a use of copyrighted material should be lawful is the way the use looks from the viewpoint of the copyright owner is conceded. The comfort level supplied by an implied license analysis is emblematic of the failure to pay enough attention to reader interests and there is need to take another look at copyright, keeping the significance of readers, listeners, and viewers in mind. Furthermore, failure to pay sufficient attention to the interests of readers, listeners, and viewers is especially damaging to the overall fabric of copyright law.