Specifically, I emailed questions to people and they emailed me their answers back. The interviewees were informed that the interviews were to be published in a newsletter. I would like to collect the interviews in a book and approach publishers, but I want to make sure of all my legal obligations first. If I do not own the copyright to these interviews, what do I need to do to obtain the copyright?
2007-11-22 10:52:51 · 3 answers · asked by Copyright Questioner 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Well, it depends. You had a business relationship of some kind with the newsletter publisher that merits attention. If you were an employee, you have the right to be identified as the author of the published work but publisher owns it. That's one issue. Book publisher will have to secure permissions from newsletter publisher and book publisher, believe me, will be all over this as well as any permissions required of interviewees.
About interviewees: Could be dicey if the interviews involved very personal information understood to be for the purpose of assisting somehow members of a small select group, say a group of incest survivors for a women's centre publication. Would they want their stories to go beyond the newsletter? Probably not. Again, by the time book publisher is interested, the legal infrastructure will be in place to resolve those issues. Frankly, it's not work anyone but a lawyer would be entrusted with. Deep pockets publishers can't afford to take chances.
2007-11-22 11:11:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Under those circumstances, you do.
You specifically told the people that their answers were for publication. Their choosing to respond was therefore implied consent to that publication.
Richard
2007-11-22 11:13:40 · answer #2 · answered by rickinnocal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't copyright someone else words, unless you write them
2007-11-22 10:57:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋