Victoria Espinel Confirmed as U.S. Copyright Czar; Media Week, 12/4/09

Georg Szalai, Media Week, Victoria Espinel Confirmed as U.S. Copyright Czar:

"Industry representatives on Friday hailed a Thursday evening Senate vote that confirmed Victoria Espinel as the nation's first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator.

But they also called on Washington to help ensure her success in fighting intellectual property theft as President Obama's copyright czar.

"Intellectual property industries are an essential economic engine to the U.S. economy, and it is critical that the new IP Enforcement Coordinator now be given adequate resources to carry out her new responsibilities," said MPAA chairman and CEO Dan Glickman.

He lauded Espinel as "a capable and experienced advocate for the artists and creators." She is a former assistant U.S. trade representative for intellectual property and innovation who also previously worked with the chief U.S. trade negotiator on IP issues before the World Trade Organization.

In a U.S. Chamber of Commerce blog post Friday, Rick Cotton, executive vp and general counsel at NBC Universal, also expressed hopes that the new top government post will have a big impact.

"Let's hope that today represents the high-water mark of IP theft," he said. Espinel's confirmation as the first IPEC "should help to see the tide begin to recede under the pressure of the Obama administration's commitment to protecting IP, producing new jobs and new industries that will benefit the nation for decades to come.""

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/digital-downloads/broadband/e3i6b9aa596485fe24d89a9b45a4ad30a7f