proponents say that copyright better preserves intellectual property like movies, music and television shows. one example given is the case of the classic film "it's a wonderful life". before republic pictures and spelling entertainment (who owned the motion picture rights to the short story and the music even after the film itself became public domain) began to assert their rights to the film, various local tv stations and cable networks broadcast the film endlessly. as "new york times" reporter bill carter put it: "the film's currency was being devalued."