Do you remember the Turtles? They were the originators of such memorable hits as “Happy Together,” “It Ain’t Me Babe,” and “She’d Rather Be with Me.” The band was formed in 1965 and by 1970 was on the decline. You may think that when the Turtle’s hits were recorded they were protected by U.S. copyright […]
Copyright
Ask Dr. Copyright … Dear Doc: Can you explain what’s protected by copyright when a newspaper or television or radio station reports facts about the news? How can we expect the news to be balanced and fair unless certain broadcasters get to own some of the facts that they investigate and report? After all, running […]
Aero TV Faces Additional Hurdles to Survive
October 30, 2014
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Ask Dr. Copyright … Dear Doc: Since you wrote about Aereo, that company with the millions of TV antennas that was going to free us from the tyranny of Comcast, Verizon, Time-Warner, Cox, and all of the other blood-sucking video vampires, and the fact that Aereo lost big-time in the Supreme Court, we have been […]
Fixed in a Tangible Medium … Tattoo Art
October 30, 2014
Copyright
Now that sporting a tattoo has gone mainstream, it would only stand to reason – – given that tattoos are creative expressions fixed in a tangible medium (skin) – – that tattoo artists seek protection of their designs under copyright law. To date, few copyright cases involving tattoos have been filed but we’ve learned that […]
Thicke and Tired of Dumb Litigation
September 30, 2014
Copyright
Dear Doc: I read recently that music stars Robin Thicke, Pharrell “Hat” Williams and Clifford “TI” Harris Jr. have sued the late Marvin Gaye’s kids. Thicke and his buddies, according to the news, claim that they did not steal parts of Gaye’s song “Got to Give it Up” in the hit from a year ago […]
Ask Dr. Copyright …
August 29, 2014
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Dear Doc: What do an elephant, a monkey, and the United States Federal Government have in common? Signed, The Riddler Dear Riddler: The answer to your query is: none of them can own copyrights! (Bet you didn’t see that one coming! BIFF! POW! BAM!!) Under federal copyright law (17 U.S.C. §101 et seq.) works created […]
Ask Dr. Copyright …
July 31, 2014
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Dear Doc: Seems to me that us vegetarians don’t get no respect in court. I heard that “Lettuce Turnip the Beet” got ripped off by that infamous pirate and parachute flapping no-good Gymboree Corporation, and the judge wouldn’t lift a finger to help. What gives? Signed, Rootin’ for the Little Guy Dear Little Root: Since […]
Ask Dr. Copyright …
June 28, 2014
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Dear Doc: Ever since you wrote about Aereo, the company with bazillions of tiny TV antennas and video recorders, I have been waiting for them to come to my town, so that I could get a decent television picture (no more of that digital BRAAAAP every 16 seconds unless I stand next to the TV […]
Ask Dr. Copyright …
May 30, 2014
Ask Dr. Copyright, Copyright
Dear Doc: I have heard that the music and movie industries want Congress to add a new part to the Copyright Law, one that would say that it is a violation of a copyright owner’s rights to “make available” a copy of a work, even if the copy is never accessed by anyone. What gives? […]
This week, the United States Supreme Court issued an opinion of great importance to those wishing to enforce their copyrights. In Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc., the Supreme Court clarified confusion among lower courts about whether the doctrine of laches (also known as unreasonable delay) could bar a lawsuit for copyright infringement. While the court’s opinion […]