The British government will not extend the copyrights for music from 50 years after the recording was made to 95 years. As a result, the music industry accused the government of failing to support musicians, according to a Reuters story on Tuesday. However, there is another side to the story.

The change would have to have been approved by the European Commission, and the British government said that such an extension of the copyright would not benefit the majority of musicians. Even so, there was stern opposition.

"The UK is a world-beating source of great music, so it is frustrating that on the issue of copyright term the government has shown scant respect for British artists and the UK recording industry," John Kennedy, head of the IFPI body which represents the international recording industry, said in a statement.

Despite the objection by the music industry, enacting such a law was seen by some as benefiting only a few performers, such as Cliff Richard and Paul McCartney.

At boingboing.com, Cory Doctorow weighed in: "Economists calculated the net present value of the 95th year of copyright at less than the net present worth of a lottery ticket -- so the government would do more for the average recording artist if they bought her a lotto ticket than if they gave her 45 years more copyright."

Mr. Doctorow continued. "This is the first time that I know of, in the history of the world, that any country has given up on extended copyright terms. In the US, the Supreme Court found that 98 percent of the works in copyright were "orphans" with no visible owner and no way to clear them and bring them back into the world. Extending copyright dooms nearly every author’s life’s work to obscurity and disappearance, in order to make a few more pennies for the tiny minority of millionaire[s]..."

Copyright laws have been enacted to protect artists. In effect, the recent use of copyright law has been to provide a steady source of income for all the heirs in perpetuity. The British government seems to have struck an even balance between the rights consumers and artists.