PREPARED STATEMENT OF ROBERT GEHRKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRAINING MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND JOHN M. EVANS, PRESIDENT, INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SYSTEMS CORP. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE: MY NAME IS ROBERT GEHRKE. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TRAINING MEDIA ASSOCIATION. A GROUP OF MORE THAN 60 COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE, MARKET AND DISTRIBUTE TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, PRIMARILY ON VIDEOTAPE. JOINING ME THIS MORNING IS ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, JOHN M. EVANS, PRESIDENT OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SYSTEMS CORPORATION. WE BELIEVE PASSAGE OF HR 671 WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP CONGRESS COULD TAKE THIS YEAR TO PROMOTE INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION BY AMERICA'S SMALL BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO CREATE COPYRIGHTED WE ARE JOINED IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 671 BY THE COALITION FOR COPYRIGHT ENTREPRENEURS, AN AD HOC GROUP OF OVER A DOZEN ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING A BROAD ARRAY OF SMALL BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUAL CREATORS, INCLUDING AUTHORS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, ILLUSTRATORS, FILM AND DOCUMENTARY MAKERS, GRAPHIC ARTISTS, ENGINEERS, NEWSLETTER AND COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS, AND MANY OTHERS. WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WE WISH TO SUBMIT AN UPDATED LIST OF SUPPORTERS FOR THE RECORD. MR. CHAIRMAN, SMALL BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUAL COPYRIGHT OWNERS MAKE A SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. ECONOMY BY HELPING TO MEET THE DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PRODUCTS OF THE AMERICAN MIND. GROSS ANNUAL SALES OF ABOUT $1.6 MILLION, AND HAS 15 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. OUR TRAINING TAPES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE, AND CARRY A HIGH RISK. WE HAVE A HIGHLY THEREFORE, A COPY OF ONE OF OUR SPECIALIZED MARKET. TAPES MAY HAVE A RETAIL PRICE OF $300 TO $500 OR MORE. EACH COPY THAT WE LICENSE MAY, IN TURN, BE USED TO TRAIN DOZENS, EVEN THOUSANDS, OF EMPLOYEES, VERY COST-EFFECTIVELY. UNFORTUNATELY, WE FACE RAMPANT INFRINGEMENT PROBLEMS. A STUDY WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO YOU SHOWS BUT ALL OUR EFFORTS HAVE BARELY MADE A DENT. THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE THE LAW MUST BE STRENGTHENED TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL DETERRENT PARTICULARLY WHERE THE VICTIM OF THE INFRINGEMENT IS A "LITTLE GUY" FROM WHOM THE TYPICAL INFRINGER, NORMALLY A MUCH LARGER ORGANIZATION, MAY BELIEVE HE HAS NOTHING TO FEAR. H.R. 671 WOULD PROVIDE A DETERRENT AGAINST INFRINGEMENT, AND AN ASSURANCE THAT PLAINTIFFS WITH MERITORIOUS CLAIMS CAN EFFECTIVELY PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS. MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN NOW TO JOHN EVANS TO COMPLETE OUR PRESENTATION. |