It’s something that doesn’t garner a lot of attention but something that surrounds us on a daily basis.  Today is World Book and Copyright Day.  For centuries authors have been putting out works that have captured our imaginations and enlightened our minds.  However, on the flip side of that, these same authors have always encountered challenges when it comes to other people accessing or possibly stealing their works. 

Ni hao, you’re listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  In this edition of the show we’ll talk to three people, a publisher and a pair of legal experts to talk about books and the protection of copyright.  So let’s get started.

(Music)

First we’ll talk about Chinese reading habits.  Emily Wang is the Deputy General Manager for Penguin here in China.

(Dialogue with Wang)

And after a short break we’ll talk to a pair of legal experts.

(Promo)

Ni hao, you’re listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  I’m Paul James in Beijing.  In this edition of the show we’re talking about World Book and Copyright Day today.  For more on this from the legal perspective we’re first joined on the line by Dr. Matthew Rimmer, senior lecturer at Australia National University’s College of Law.

(Dialogue with Rimmer)

And now let’s hear from a patent and copyright expert from the UK.  Johanna Gibson is a Herchel Smith Professor of Intellectual Property Law and Director of the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute in the UK.

(Dialogue with Gibson)

And with that we close out this edition of  People In the Know, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  It’s important for people to have access to information.  But if the people who provide that information don’t have protection over there rights, there will be little incentive for them to continue working to enlighten us.  Questions or comments for us can be sent to people@cri.com.cn.  For Executive Director Zhao Yang and Producers Chen Mo and Xu Yang and Intern Chen Jianing, I’m Paul James in Beijing.  We’ll talk to you tomorrow.