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At the moment original works of literature, drama, music or art are protected for fifty years after the author's death.

But there are plans to change the law in the island.

Copyright gives the author of an original work exclusive legal rights to it for a limited time. 

In Jersey, copyrights lasts for fifty years after the author dies. But in the UK and Europe, it lasts for seventy years after death.

Now that could change as the government wants to update the law to bring it into line with UK and European law. 

At the moment, there's no database rights or design rights in Jersey and that could also change.

But the BBC's lawyers are concerned the planned Jersey update could soon be out of date. 

They say UK law is currently being reviewed and their government is proposing to change some of their copyright laws. 

Jersey's copyright laws haven't been updated since 1913.

Have your say

What are your thoughts on Copyright - should the island extend the amount of time a work is copyrighted or do you think the time should be reduced?

What about more radical copyright reforms to bring the island into the 21st Century where everything is so readily available on the internet anyway.