The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is a non-profit trade association formed to advance the interests of movie studios. Its members consist of seven major studios: the Walt Disney Company, Sony Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Studios, and Warner Bros. The organization produces the well-known voluntary film rating system.

The MPAA has sought to protect its members' interests by political lobbying for changes in copyright and criminal law. It seeks to promote digital rights management technologies, which are seen by some as infringing users' rights, and by others as striking the proper balance between consumer wants and artists Rights.

Dan Glickman replaced the long-serving Jack Valenti as president of the MPAA on September 1, 2004. Valenti, who turned 82 years old in 2003, announced his retirement at the Showest motion picture convention in Las Vegas in March 2003. A noted lobbyist in Washington, DC, he began serving as president in 1966, and has become nearly synonymous with the organization.

See: National Association of Theatre Owners

Related topics

• DeCSS
• MPAA film rating system
• RIAA, Recording Industry Association of America

External links

• www.mpaa.org - MPAA website
• MPAA information about its rating system
• Valenti testimony