Righthaven Sues Radio Giant For Hosting Caption Contest On Denver Post Photo
from the citadel's-lawyers-might-understand-fair-use dept
For the most part, Righthaven has been careful to sue individuals and smaller sites who would have a much tougher time fighting back. However, in its mad dash to sue a ton of websites for using a viral photograph of a TSA agent searching a passenger, it appears to have gone after Citadel Broadcasting, a radio giant, for running a "caption contest" on the photo. We've pointed out in the past that many users of the photo probably have pretty strong fair use claims, and (depending on the details), it seems like Citadel might as well. Plus, Citadel, being a large media company, almost certainly has lawyers it can call on who understand fair use. So this could make for an interesting legal battle if Citadel agrees to fight back.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: copyright, fair use
Companies: citadel, righthaven
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At least one of us is guilty of copyright infringement, I bet.
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Is Citidel running the photo to inform, or are they running it for commercial gain? Did anyone from Citidel use it directly as parody (or other fair use base), or are they hoping that the listeners / readers / viewers/ whatever come along and add the parody component?
By your argument a professor holding up a copy of the LVRJ or Denver Post to highlight a story to his class for discussion would be "just trying to use someone's work without permission."(AC, 2011)
Nope, for that you are wrong. Teaching is one of those obvious fair uses. I don't have to work to try to find the fair use. In Citidel's case, I am at a loss as to what the fair use really is, it seems to be more of a commercial use.
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The path that we are walking with lawsuits like this one are a slippery slope. Bit by bit our freedoms as are being eroded in the name of protecting the children and intellectual property. The laws they are using to perpetrate these lawsuits are no longer valid in today's digital environment and need to be changed. Your antiquated view of this is exactly what is wrong and why we are stumbling to move forward rather than leaping. (not saying you personally, but the collective whole of people who think as you do IMHO).
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Anyone have a link to the picture?
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On an unrelated note, I love how the linked site claims extra rights.
'The Post, however, has an explicit copyright warning stating its material can't be reproduced in full.'
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Sorry Righthaven
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