InternetBerman: Moving The Meter on IP Laws

Associates of Rep. Howard Berman talk about what's at stake with major patent and copyright reform in Congress.

If you ask U.S. Congressman Howard Berman about the task of representing North Hollywood -- home of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences -- on Capitol Hill, he will tell you that it's not a "glamorous job." Maybe not. But few House members' campaigns can boast repeated financial backing from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Rob Reiner and Don Henley. The California Democrat's 25-year career in Congress has benefited more from the entertainment industry and its stars than from any other industry. Since 1989, his top contributors have been Time Warner, Walt Disney Co. and Vivendi. RELATED ARTICLES A Eulogy For Patent Reform? House Passes Major Patent Reform Patent Reform: Beware of Unintended Consequences Is Patent Reform Fight Almost Over? For more stories on this topic: He has received far more funding from Beverly Hills 90210 -- the neighborhood, not the TV show -- than from any other zip code, according to Federal Election Commission data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. As chairman of the committee that oversees the Internet and intellectual property, the Democratic Berman has led the charge to radically overhaul patent and copyright laws to account for globalization and digital technology. The stakes are huge. They touch the financial interests of numerous industries, including IT, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, manufacturing, music and movies. Berman's entertainment industry... [ Read more on www.internetnews.com ]

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