Rewriting An AP Story Just To Show We Can
from the come-and-get-us dept
Kevin Stapp writes "As I was browsing some news this morning I actually read one story all the way to the bottom (a rare thing nowadays). The story itself wasn't nearly as interesting as the Associated Press' Copyright notice at the very bottom:Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
It is the next to the last claim I found troubling. The AP apparently believes copyright allows it to claim that a news story can't be rewritten. That claim strikes me as rather far reaching because the majority of the story is simply restated facts. I reviewed each paragraph of the story (I'll simply number them here) to see which parts of the story are 'unique expressions' and which are simply statements of fact that are not subject to copyright.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-08-07-kennedy-shriver_N.htm
1. Fact. Simple biographical data
2. Fact. Quote from a family spokeperson
3. Fact. Information provided by spokesperson for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
4. Fact. News of strokes previously reported. Kennedy compound location is widely known.
5. Observation by the reporter so not a fact.
6. Fact. Simple biographical data
7 & 8. Quote from another news source so AP has no claim to it. If anything the quote is the copyright of eunicekennedyshriver.org,
8 & 9 Fact. Multiple sources can be found regarding Shriver's involvement with the Special Olympics.
Eight of the nine paragraphs of this story are factual information that could be obtained from multiple sources and yet the Associated Press claims copyright prohibits anyone from rewriting this story.
So here's my version of the story rewritten without the Associated Press' permission:
According to a press release from eunicekennedyshriver.org, Eunice Kennedy Shriver is critical but stable condition at a Cape Cod Hospital. Ms. Shriver is attended by her husband, children and grandchildren. (http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/press).
Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver was born July 10, 1921 and is a member of the Kennedy family. She is the fifth of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Kennedy. Senator Edward Kennedy and Jean Kennedy Smith are her only surviving siblings. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunice_Kennedy_Shriver)
Senator Kennedy remarked in a video interview that his sister Eunice always "strived to be the best" in a very competitive family. "She in many respects has made such an extraordinary difference in the lives of so many people...", he said. http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/videos/video/15
Ms Shriver is known for her efforts on behalf of the disabled and founded the Special Olympics which she serves as an honorary chairperson. http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/bios/eks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunice_Kennedy_Shriver
You can't copyright facts nor can you claim copyright limits anyone's right to restate the facts."
We await the AP's response.
Filed Under: copyright, eunice kennedy shriver, rewriting
