On November 18th, 1928, Mickey Mouse was introduced to the world in the film
Steamboat Willie. But this may be one of the last birthdays Mickey celebrates as
the intellectual property of Disney. Copyrights for the popular character are
set to expire on January 1st, 2024. Mickey might have become public property sooner
except that each time the copyright on Steamboat Willie was set to lapse, Disney
and others pushed Congress to lengthen US copyright terms. By 1998, works of
corporate authorship were exclusive company property for 95 years from
publication. But this time around, there doesn't seem to be any serious effort to
extend Disney's copyright for several reasons. First, each version of Mickey
Mouse has a separate copyright, so only the Steamboat Willie version will enter
the public domain in 2024. Second, Disney has clearly diversified its stable of
copyrighted characters. Third, copyright activists have out-organized Hollywood.
And fourth, it's unlikely the public would accept a copyright extension
beyond 95 years. So enjoy your day Mickey, because soon you will belong to your adoring public.
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