[LM_NET] TARGET: Copyright and newspapers

["Brisco, Shonda" <briscos@TRINITYVALLEYSCHOOL.ORG>]

I have been asked to locate information on this touchy subject.  Our
journalism department uses photographs from Google (or other online
sources) to add to the school's print newspaper which is distributed on
campus (although some copies may "leak" outside of the campus when
students take them home or offer them to friends, etc.).  These
photographs are not originals taken by the students, but rather items
that are "cut and pasted" from online sites to the newspaper.
 
My "gut reaction" was that this is a direct violation of copyright
because the photos came from some news source or website that has a
photographer---who isn't being paid / credited for his work.  However, I
have been told by others on our campus that the use of the photos in the
school's print newspaper is okay because of the use of media sharing
between "news organizations?" ---although we are not a "news
organization"...and this is not a "classroom" only publication.   I felt
that the use of the photographs from online sources (or even online
media resources such as CNN, MSNBC, etc.) should at least be cited in
the newspaper's print edition, but the students are not even doing that
much.  In fact, there are photos from American Idol, concerts, sporting
events, etc. that appear each month and nothing is cited.  [and I know
that they haven't asked permission]
 
Does anyone else have these types of problems with their journalism
department / school newspapers?  What is your view of this type of
project?  [I know when I taught journalism--a hundred years ago-- I had
a photographer on staff who took our photos and we wrote about "campus
events" and didn't mimic the local, state and national events with
commentary--which is how our students here are doing their journalism
class.]  
 
You may reply to me off-list.
 
Thanks!
 
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
briscos@trinityvalleyschool.org
 
 
 

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