Copyright Law

The purpose of a copyright is to secure for the creator of original material all the benefits earned by creating it. Copyrights apply not only to written words but also to illustrations, plays, musical works, motion pictures, sound recording, graphics, sculp­tures, pantomimes, and dances. Two aspects of copyright law concern you: the use of copyrighted material and the protection of the work that you do.

The copyright law protects original material published during and after the au­thor's lifetime as well as unpublished material.

If the material is prepared "for hire", the protection runs for 75 years from the first year of publication or the first year of creation, whichever is shorter. Anything you write on the job is considered "for hire", and your client or company is the owner of your work, including the copyright.

Material does not have to be printed or distributed for copyright protection. As soon as it is created in a concrete form, it is protected, particularly if it bears a copyright notice but also even if it does not.

Distributing or offering to distribute copies of a work to the public is considered publication. Such distribution may be free or paid.

If you want the most unassailable copyright protection, you should take formal steps to acquire it as soon as any material is published.

News releases, features, and illustrations accompanying them are not normally copyrighted. Booklets, leaflets, books, and similar publications usually are copyrighted unless there is a desire to allow others to reproduce them. In that case, it is customary to place a notice in the publication stating that reproduction and distribution of copies is permissible without charge.