What is copyright?
Copyright is the right to prevent others from copying original “works”. It is a right that is vested not only in the authors of original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works but also in sound recordings, films, broadcasts and cable programmes. More recently, software can also be protected. Copyright exists automatically, therefore there is no formal requirement to register work for it to be protected. It is always wise to ensure that once a work is completed that you somehow get it dated clearly and filed. This will ensure that in the event of a dispute you have clear evidence that ‘you own’ the work. Only identical copies or copies comprising of a large part of the work is protected. The duration of a copyright varies up to 70 years depending on the type of work.
The United States Copyright office defines a copyright as “a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression.” Q: What does copyright cover? A: Copyright covers both published and unpublished works. Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed. Q: What is a performing rights organization? A: A performing rights organization collects song royalties generated from public performances and broadcasts, including but not limited to radio, television, and film. Q: What are Synchronization Rights?
