Big Brother isn't just watching you anymore. He's planning your sporting events.
At that, it appears as if Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has gone a step too far after a recent debacle surrounding planning the 2010 games.
While getting into the spirit of the event, a Vancouver singer-songwriter by the name of Nicole Scoffield penned a tune in the Olympics' honour dubbed "Sea to Skyway." She brought it to VANOC, BC premier Gordon Campbell and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson to see if they'd like to use it.
However, in order for VANOC to even listen to the song, the organizing body told Scoffield she must first sign away all rights to the track, the CBC reports.
VANOC sent Scoffield a contract demanding she give up ownership and royalties before the organization would consider hearing "Sea to Skyway," let alone use it. Naturally, the contract stipulated that VANOC obtained unrestricted rights. That means using it however they see fit: letting others re-record it, chopping it, changing it, commercials, etc.
So, instead of helping out one of Canada artists, VANOC has pushed Scoffield to putting the tune up on the internet herself.
"I've been an artist my whole life, [and] I'm not living in a glamourous situation," Scoffield told CBC Radio. "I put my heart and soul into writing this piece... and it's very heartbreaking when you put so much effort, time, your own money, into something, and they essentially want to steal it from you."
VANOC has yet to respond. Furthermore, this isn't the first time the organizing body has upset the world with their actions. As Techdirt has previously reported, VANOC also allegedly "convinced the Canadian government to grant it extra special intellectual property rights that go way beyond what would be allowed for any normal business. This includes getting special control over words like '2010,' and 'Vancouver" if you use them in any way associated with the sporting event known as the Olympics (also protected). It's using these extra rights to stop ticket reselling and to take down signs they don't like (even on private property)."
At that, it appears as if Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has gone a step too far after a recent debacle surrounding planning the 2010 games.
While getting into the spirit of the event, a Vancouver singer-songwriter by the name of Nicole Scoffield penned a tune in the Olympics' honour dubbed "Sea to Skyway." She brought it to VANOC, BC premier Gordon Campbell and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson to see if they'd like to use it.
However, in order for VANOC to even listen to the song, the organizing body told Scoffield she must first sign away all rights to the track, the CBC reports.
VANOC sent Scoffield a contract demanding she give up ownership and royalties before the organization would consider hearing "Sea to Skyway," let alone use it. Naturally, the contract stipulated that VANOC obtained unrestricted rights. That means using it however they see fit: letting others re-record it, chopping it, changing it, commercials, etc.
So, instead of helping out one of Canada artists, VANOC has pushed Scoffield to putting the tune up on the internet herself.
"I've been an artist my whole life, [and] I'm not living in a glamourous situation," Scoffield told CBC Radio. "I put my heart and soul into writing this piece... and it's very heartbreaking when you put so much effort, time, your own money, into something, and they essentially want to steal it from you."
VANOC has yet to respond. Furthermore, this isn't the first time the organizing body has upset the world with their actions. As Techdirt has previously reported, VANOC also allegedly "convinced the Canadian government to grant it extra special intellectual property rights that go way beyond what would be allowed for any normal business. This includes getting special control over words like '2010,' and 'Vancouver" if you use them in any way associated with the sporting event known as the Olympics (also protected). It's using these extra rights to stop ticket reselling and to take down signs they don't like (even on private property)."
