Be Smart About Copyright

The PRLawyer recently posted a very useful article on 14 ways to use your reprint to generate a buzz. I recommend that you read it – it gives some very good suggestions for getting more value from your media coverage.

Now, if you’re new to public relations, a reprint is a reproduced copy of a magazine or newspaper article. Since the material is copyrighted by the publisher, it is advisable to purchase the reprint rights, or the written permission to reproduce copyrighted material from the publisher. This is especially true if you plan to reproduce the article for marketing purposes, or if you plan to put a copy on your Web site.

Now, in my experience, clients often copy and mail or their articles on a regular basis. In truth, none have ever complained of running into problems with the publisher. Still, if you plan to send it to more than a few trusted friends or clients, I’d recommend looking into getting the rights. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred, to a few thousand dollars depending on the publication.

What you get for your money can vary. Some may provide you with a single, printed copy, while others will provide a PDF. Some may allow you to create the reprints, while others will hold the original and require that you use them for the reprinting. Make sure you know what their requirements are before you move forward.

Similarly, if you want to put a PDF of an article on your Web site, you may want to look into getting the reprint rights. Again, I have never known anyone to have an issue. In reality, you could probably take the article down if the publisher ever called you to complain.

Another way to do it is to post a link to the article if it appears online. Most print publications post their content online, so it’s pretty easy to do this. However, be aware that you run the risk of the link being broken if the publisher takes the content down.

For a good guideline on copyright, take a look at Copyright Compliance: How to Legally Share Newsclips by Burelles/Luce.

Got a question about copyright? Put it into the comments and I’ll get you an answer.