PUBLIC DOMAIN
is in the public domain? (http://blip.tv/dominiopublico)
shareThere's no reason why it should be in the public domain.
Pragmatic owners of copyrights will ensure that the copyright will not be allowed to lapse and will renew the copyright before it does.
There have been, of course, exceptions - and heads must have rolled when the copyrights of, for example, Till The Clouds Roll By were unintentionally allowed to lapse.
If I were the copyright owner of a classic like IOTBS (in most cases the owners are the heirs of the estate or the production company, if it's still in business), I would certainly not allow the copyright to lapse.