U.S. Copyright Office
Copyright Protections for Press Publishers
- copyright protections for press publishers. Any change to U.S. copyright law that would meaningfully improve press publishers’ ability to block or seek remuneration for news aggregators' use of their works would necessarily avoid or narrow limitations on copyright that have critical policy and Constitutional dimensions. Additionally, we note that this Study revealed little demand for additional copyright-related rights for press publishers. Most commenters identified changes to competition (antitrust) policy as a more effective means to improve the position of press publishers in dealing with news aggregators.
The Office recognizes that adequate funding for journalism may currently be at risk, and that there are implications for the press’s essential role in our system of government. But the challenges for press publishers do not appear to be copyright-specific. It has not been established that any shortcomings in copyright law pose an obstacle to incentivizing journalism or that new copyright-like protections would solve the problems that press publishers face.
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