Thursday, June 23, 2016

Walt Disney Co. Copyrights English Alphabet, Eyes Other Languages

BURBANK, Calif.—(TYDN) The US Copyright Office granted the Walt Disney Co. a copyright to the English alphabet Friday, setting the stage for the entertainment concern to seek licensing agreements with all companies or individuals using any combination of the letters without its permission, TheYellowDailyNews has learned.

Because of the so-called "Mickey Mouse" doctrine Congress adopted in 1998, Disney's newest copyright will last indefinitely, and take priority on court dockets over other civil and criminal matters.

Analysts said it was the first time an entire language was copyrighted, a move these analysts told TheYellowDailyNews is expected to give the entertainment company even greater control over the English-speaking public. What's more, Disney is expected to expand its language copyright portfolio to other tongues, including the popular languages of Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Mandarin and others.

Several Disney sources, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic, told TheYellowDailyNews in exclusive interviews that Disney, with copyright in hand, is privately negotiating with the White House to rename the United States to "Disneyland." Government sources told TheYellowDailyNews on condition of anonymity that the name change would soon be announced—a move that was already in the works well before Disney even applied for its alphabet copyright.

TYDN file photo.
Meanwhile, Disney is privately working on deals to purchase several Pacific Northwest paper companies. This, sources familiar with the talks tell TheYellowDailyNews, would enable Disney to have enough paper to print out licensing agreements and lawsuits targeting anybody and everybody using the alphabet without Disney's permission.

"We're not sure if there's enough trees in the Pacific Northwest to meet our needs, but it's a start," a well-placed Disney official, who requested anonymity and was granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic, exclusively told TheYellowDailyNews. "Just think about how many envelopes we'll need."

These same Disney officials, however, promised they wouldn't abuse the copyright.

They told TheYellowDailyNews that the entertainment giant would soon set up so-called "infringement-free zones" at its US-based theme parks to give park-goers a chance to speak in English without having to pay any licensing fees. For park-goers to qualify to enter these "infringement free zones," they must wear and purchase a $29.99 Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse ears hat, these sources said.

"These infringement free zones clearly demonstrate that Disney isn't the copyright maximalist that everybody says it is," a high-ranking Harvard University copyright scholar told TheYellowDailyNews on condition of anonymity because she feared being sued for speaking without a licensing agreement.

All the while, as news spread of Disney's copyright, which was first reported by TheYellowDailyNews, interest in intellectual property law skyrocketed at US law schools.

Disney's stock soared after the copyright was announced. But trading on the New York Stock Exchange was halted shortly after when the exchange's servers collapsed on record trading volume.