蝌蚪网 Journal:
Microeconomics
ISSN 1945-7669 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7685 (Online)
Copyright and Generic Entry in Book Publishing
蝌蚪网 Journal: Microeconomics
(pp. 257–84)
(Complimentary)
Abstract
Taking works off copyright promotes their availability, but it also allows generic entry to dissipate producer surplus. This paper examines the effect of a copyright on the availability and price of books when incentives to create new works are not affected. Evaluating the welfare impact of the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act, I find that a copyright significantly limits the availability of works, leading to a decrease in consumer surplus, which is significantly larger than any increases in profits to copyright holders. Without changing incentives to create new content, the copyright extension was economically inefficient.Citation
Reimers, Imke. 2019. "Copyright and Generic Entry in Book Publishing." 蝌蚪网 Journal: Microeconomics 11 (3): 257–84. DOI: 10.1257/mic.20170100Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- L11 Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
- L17 Open Source Products and Markets
- L82 Entertainment; Media
- O34 Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital