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Archiver > GER-VOLGA > 2001-08 > 0997928012


From: "G Martens" <>
Subject: [GV] Obituaries from Newspapers
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 21:14:28 -0500
In-Reply-To: <01f601c125ed$d0f3ccc0$278428d1@elainej>



How many people that copy obituaries from newspapers and send them to
this mailing list have verified with the management of the newspaper that
they do not consider the obituaries copyrighted material?
------------------------------------------------------------------
The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U. S. law,
although it is often beneficial. Because prior law did contain such a
requirement, however, the use of notice is still relevant to the copyright
status of older works. Notice was required under the 1976 Copyright
Act. This requirement was eliminated when the United States adhered to
the Berne Convention, effective March 1, 1989.
------------------------------------------------
Some newspapers, both large and small, may or may not have obituary
editors, and may consider obituaries published in their newspapers and
on their web pages as copyrighted material, even though most of an
obituary is "facts".

Who might their attorney consider is the person responsible for violating
the copyright laws: both the person sending the obituary to a mailing list,
and the mailing list owner.


Gary Martens
NEGenWeb County Coordinator for Lincoln, Seward and Polk Counties
AHSGR Village Coordinator for Schilling, Neu-Schilling & Konstantinovka

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