Draft No.1 Seminar Paper for Media Law On "Media And Copright Law: A thin line of Division" ! : ah#l Meena oll No. $%% Date: &'April'()1* +ntrod#,tion
According to Laurence Sterne1 an English Novelist (1713-1768):
“The sweat of a man’s brows, and the exudations of a man’s brain, are as much a man’s own property as the breeches upon his backside.” There! "eaning that #hatever an individual $roduces ! the a$$lication o% his laour& intellect or s'ill is his $ro$e rt! and no od! has a righ t to de$rive hi" o% such $ro $ert! The #ord *o$!right+ *o$ !right+ is derived %ro" the e,$ression *o$ier % .ords+ .ords+ %irst %irst used in the conte,t& according to ,%ord /ictionar! in 1086 The #ord *o$!+ is is $resu"ed to date ac' to 180 A/ (a$$ro,i"ate date) and #as used to connote a "anuscri$t or other "atter $re$ared %or $rinting .ord *o$!+ according to 2lac'+s La# /ictionar! "eans transcri$t& i"itation& re$roduction o% an origin original al #ritin #riting& g& $ainti $ainting& ng& instru instru"en "entt or the li'e li'e *o$!rig *o$!right ht accord according ing to 2lac'+ 2lac'+ss La# 1 Laurence Sterne in his novel The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy.
/ictionar! is the right in literar! $ro$ert! as recognied and sanctioned ! $ositive la# An intangile incor$oreal right granted to the author or originator o% certain literar! or artistic $roduction #here! he is invested %or a s$eci%ied $eriod #ith the sole and e,clusive $rivilege o% "ulti$l!ing co$ies o% the sa"e and $ulishing and selling the" *o$!right as de%ined in the ,%ord English /ictionar! is an e,clusive right given ! la# %or a certain ter" o% !ears to an author& co"$oser& etc or his assignee to $rint& $ulish and sell co$ies o% his original #or' *o$!right in so"e %or" see"s to have een recognied in ancient ti"es The 4o"an La# ad5udged that i% one "an #rote an!thing on the $a$er o% another& the #riting should elong to the o#ner o% the lan' "aterial& "eaning there! the "echanical o$eration o% #riting ! the scrie deserved to receive satis%action
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ntellectual $ro$ert! la# originall! evolved #ithin the English co""on la#& ut the %ra"ers o% the 4.S. Constit#tion considered it so i"$ortant that the! s$eci%icall! recognied it& "a'ing oth co$!rights and $atents %ederal "atters right %ro" the ti"e the *onstitution #as rati%ied Article 1& Section 8 o% the S *onstitution includes this language: The *ongress shall have the $o#er to $ro"ote the $rogress o% science and the use%ul arts& ! securing %or li"ited ti"es to authors and inventors the e,clusive right to their res$ective #ritings and discoveries Shortl! a%ter the *onstitution #as rati%ied& *ongress acce$ted that invitation and enacted the %irst %ederal co$!right la#& The *o$!right Act o% 179 That la# has een revised several ti"es since& as technolog! created ne# $role"s that could not have een antici$ated ! the %ra"ers o% the *onstitution The 1976 *o$!right Act& the "ost recent co"$rehensive revision o% the la# atte"$ted (not al#a!s success%ull!) to deal #ith such trouleso"e ne# $role" areas as $hotoco$!ing& audio and vid eo recor ding& satellite co""unications and cale television .hatever the unresolved $role"s in co$!right la#& the histor! o% *ongressional involve"ent "a'es co$!right la# %unda"entall! di%%erent %ro" so"e o% the other areas o% "ass "edia la# it is an area o% ;ederal Statutor! La#& not $ri"aril! a %or" o% State Statutor! or *o""on La# % the $role"s o% co$!right la# are to e solved at all& the! are resolved "ainl! ! *ongress& #ith hel$ %ro" the %ederal courts
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. +ND+AN SC-NA+O :
ndia eing a "e"er o% t#o international conventions on co$!right& na"el!& the 2e rne *onvention %or >rotection o% Literar! and Artistic .or's (>aris Act& 1971) an d th e niversal *o$!right *onvention& 190 A%ter inde$endence& the *o$!right Act& 1907 #as enacted& to give e%%ect to the reco""endations o% these t#o conventions The Act #as a"ended in 1983& 198& 199& 199 and in 1999 The ndian *o$!rig ht Act& 1907 is in accordance #ith ndia+s oligations under the Agree"ent on Trade 4elated ntellectual >ro$ert! 4ights (T4>S) Se,tion 15 o% the Cop!right A,t6 1$7& de%ines co$!right as: 8 A pr op er ty righ t in an or ig inal wo rk of au th or sh ip (s uc h as a l it er a ry , m u si ca l , a r ti s ti c, p h ot og r ap h ic , a f i lm w o rk o r a c om pu te r
programme
fixed
in
any
tangible
medium
of
expression, gi!ing the holder the exclusi!e right to reproduce, adapt, distribute, perform and display the work .9
3/A0 COP+2/0 LA3 CO-S
?enerall!& all 'inds o% creative endeavors "a! e co$!righted That includes literar! #or's (%iction and non-%iction& $rose and $oetr!)& "usical #or's (and an! acco"$an!ing #ords)& dra"atic #or's (including "usic)& choreogra$hic #or's and $ictoria l& gra$hic and scul$tur al #or's (including oth $hotogra$hs and $aintings)& co"$uter so%t#are& "a$s& architectural designs& recordings& "otion $ictures and radio or television $roductions (#hether dra"atic or ne#sroal! the "ost i"$ortant one %or the "ass "edia is that the ne#s itsel% cannot e co$!right ed& although a descri$tion o% a ne#s event can e co$!righted The %irst re$orter to reach the scene o% a $la ne cra sh& %or instance& cannot $re vent others %ro" re$orting the %act that the $lane crashed or the details o% ho# it ha$$ened The "ost that this re $orter can den! to others is his or her account o% the event thers "a! tell the stor! in their o#n #ords Thus& it is co""on$lace %or 5ournalists to re#rite each other+s stories .henever one re$orter scores an i"$ortant Scoo$+& others uic'l! $ic' u$ the stor!& care%ull! $utting it in their o#n #ords and $erha$s giving credit to the original source Even though this is $er"issile under co$!right la# & it should e e"$hasied tha t one ne#s "ediu" cannot s!ste"aticall! re"ove all o% its ne#s %ro" a co"$etitor to avoid having to e"$lo! its o#n ne#s sta%% To do that is called un%air co"$etition S!ste"atic Ne#s >irac!+ as it has een called& is not $er"issile
O-+-3 O COP+2/0 LA3 To su""arie ver! rie%l!& the o#ner o% a co$!right has the Exclusive Right to re$roduce the co$!righted #or'& to create Derivative Works ased on it& and to
dis triute co$ies&
$er%or" the #or' or dis$la! it to the $ulic An!one else #ho does these things is guilt! o% co$!right nfringement unless #hat that $erson does uali%ies as a %air use To $rove an in%ringe"ent& the co$!right o#ner "ust sho# Su!stantial Similarly et#een the original #or' and the allegedl! in%ringing #or' The o#ner "ust also sho# that his
C.
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&D#& S 'E&#RO (
Section 01 o% the *o$!right Act& 1907 la!s do#n various acts& the doing o% & an! o% #hich #ithout a licence %ro" the o#ner o% the co$!right or the statutor! authorit! or in contravention o% the ter"s o% such a licence #ould constitute an in%ringe"ent o% the co $! rig ht + i n a #o r' Se ct io n 0 enu"erates various acts& the co""ission o% #hich #ould not constitute such in%ringe"ent These are in the nature o% e,ce$tions to the e,clusive rights con%erred u$on the co$!right o#ner and also serve as de%ences in an action %or in%ringe"ent The re"edies %or in%ringe"ent are laid do#n under Sections 0 to 08 o% the Act n a co"ined reading o% Sections 01 and 0& the %ollo#ing acts a"ount to acts o% in%ringe"ent o% co$!right #hen co""itted ! a $erson not authoried ! licence %ro"
the o#ner or the co"$etent authorit! unde r the Act: 1 % the de%endant re$roduces the #or' in an! "aterial %or" (other#ise than ! #a! o% a %air dealing %or the $ur$oses o% $rivate use& including research& criticis" or revie# or %or the $ur$ose o% re$orting current events) in a ne#s$a$er& "againe or si"ilar $eriodical or ! roadcast& in a cine"atogra$h %il" or ! "eans o% $hotogra$hs % the de%endant "a'es a cine"atogra$h %il" ! re$roducing or converting a sustantial $ortion o% the $lainti%%+s novel or dra"a
n ".#. Anand v. $eluxe %ilms& , a;al Ali6 < laid do#n the %ollo#ing tests %or in%ringe"ent:
1 There can e no co$!right in an idea& su5ect "atter& the"es& $lots or historical or legendar! %acts and violation o% the co$!right in such cases is con%ined to the %or"& "anner and arrange"ent and e,$ression o% the idea ! the author o% the co$!righted #or' .here the sa"e idea is eing develo$ed in a di%%erent "anner& it is "ani%est that the source eing co""on& si"ilarities are ound to occur n such a case the *ourts should deter"ine #hether or not the si"ilarities are on %unda"ental or sustantial as$ects o% the "ode o% e,$ression ado$ted in the co$!righted #or' % the de %end an t+s #or' is nothing ut a literal i"itation o% the co$!righted #or' #ith so"e variations here and there it #ould a"ount to violation o% the co$!right n other
3 (1978) S** 118
#ords& in order to e actionale the co$! "ust e a sustantial and "aterial one #hich at once leads to the conclusion that the de%end ant is guilt! o% an act o% $irac! 3 ne o% the surest and the sa%est test to deter"ine #hether or not there has een a violation o% co$!right is to see i% the reader& s$ectator or the vie#er a%ter having read or seen oth the #or's is clearl! o% the o$inion and gets an un"ista'ale i"$ression that the suseuent #or' a$$ears to e a co$! o% the original .here the the"e is the sa"e ut is $resented and treated di%%erentl! so that the suseuent #or' eco"es a co"$letel! ne# #or'& no uestion o% violation o% co$!right arises 0 .here ho#ever a$art %ro" the si"ilarities a$$earing in the t#o #or's there are also "aterial and road dissi"ilarities #hich negative the intention to co$! the original and the coincidences a$$earin g in the t#o #or's are clearl! incidental no in%ringe"ent o% the co$!right co"es into e,istence 6 .here& ho#ever& the uestion is o% the violation o% the co$!right o% stage $la! ! a %il" $roducer or a /irector the tas' o% the $lainti%% eco"es "ore di%%icult to $ro ve $irac! t is "ani%est that unli'e a stage $la! a %il" has a "uch roader $ros$ective& #ider %ield and a igger ac'ground #here the de%endants can ! introducing a variet! o% incidents give a colour and co"$le,ion di%%erent %ro" the "anner in #hich the co$!righted #or' has e,$ressed the idea Even so& i% the vie#er a%ter seeing the %il" gets a totalit! o% i"$ression that the %il" is ! and large a co$! o% the original $la!& violation o% the co$!right "a! e said to e $roved
Copinger 5 & a leading international author on the su5ect& descries the necessar!
ingredients o% a case %or in%ringe"ent as: 8 'n any case of infr ingement the plaintiff has to establish not only that the work in respect of which the complaint is made in fact so nearly resembles his as to be capable of being an infringement, but also that it has in fact been produced by the use of those features of his work which by reason of the knowledge, skill and labour employed in their production constitute an original copyright work. There is no i nf ri ng em en t u nl es s i t i s e st ab li sh ed t ha t t he
d ef en da nt ha s
produced a work which both closely resemb les the plaintiffs work and has been produced by a direct or indirect use of those features of the plaintiffs work in which copyright subsists.9
).S. S 'E&#RO( nder the 4.S. Cop!right A,t6 1$&* & there are three things #hich needs to e $roved in order to constitute in%ringe"ent& the! are: 1. 0he alleged infringer had some a,,ess to the a#thor=s wor>6 (. 0here is s#?stantial similarit! ?etween the two wor>s and6 %. 0hat the ,op!right is valid and ,overs a legitimate6 original wor>.
;or the sustantial si"ilarit! test to e "et& there "ust e oth si"ilarit! in the general ideas underl!ing the t#o #or's (o%ten called the )xtrinsic Test %or si"ilarit!) and si"ilarit! in 'opinger on 'opyright% (1th Edn) >ara 08
co$!rightale as$ects o% the e,$ression o% those ideas (the 'ntrinsic Test %or si"ilarit!) @o#ever& a%ter all o% this legal anal!sis o% #hat constitutes sustantial si"ilarit! is co"$leted& the original co$!right o#ner ulti"atel! has to convince a 5udge or 5ur! that the Average Person (not 5ust an e,$ert) #ould see the ne# #or' as si"ilar enough to have een $irated %ro" the original
O<-C0 O COP+2/0 LA3 The la# o% co$!right is intended to $revent $lagiaris" and un%air e,$loitation o% creative #or' t is a natural e,tension o% the %reedo" o% s$eech and e,$ression $r ot ec te d un de r Arti,le 1$@1@a of the Constit#tion % an individual en5o!s the %reedo" o% s$eech and e,$ression& he "ust also e guaranteed $rotection o% the intellectua l $ro$ert! in his e,$ressio n& e it in the %or" o% a literar!& dra"atic& "usical or artis tic #or '& a %il" or a soun d recording *o$!right $rotection and a guarantee o% "aterial ene%it to the creator o% an original #or' is essential to ensure encourage"ent o% creative #or' in all #al's o% li%e so that societ! can "a'e cultural $rogress Asence o% such $rotection #ould de"oralie creative artists and have a chilling e%%ect on creative activit! Also& since co$!right $ro te cti on is a%% ord ed not onl! to au thor s u t to $u lishe rs an d as sign ee s o% su ch #or'& i% others #ere entitled to co$! their #or's and $ro%it %ro" their sale& such $ersons #o uld e hesit ant to invest their resources in $ulishing and circulating original #or's 0 There is& there%ore& a vital $ulic interest in co$!right $rotection 2. Davies in B*opyright and the +ublic 'nterest =* $rovides that: 8*opyright... ser!es the public interest in freedom of expression. y enabling the creator to deri!e a financial reward from the work, his artistic independence and right to create and publish according to his
0 See infra #nershi$ o% *o$!right+ also refer Land *roke v William +ill% (196) 1 All E4 60 @L& Sumangalam R. ,ayalakshmi v -eta -usicals% A4 Bad 0 6 N* Studies& Bunich& 199 CD 173
own wish and conscience is assured. Alternati!e methods of rewarding creators, such as patronage, whether by the -tate, or by indi!iduals, carry the risk of control or censorship. 9
The 4niversal De,laration of /#man ights6 1$5 & recognies not onl! the right t o $ r ot e ct i on o % o r ig i na l # o r' s u t a l so t o t he $ r ot e ct i on o % t h e e co no "ic e ne %i ts atta ch ed to it Arti,le (& of the 4niversal De,laration of /#man ights6 1$5 reads as:
1 Ever!one has the right %reel! to $artici$ate in the cultural li%e o% the co""unit! to en5o! the arts and share in scienti%ic advance "ent and its ene%its Ever!one has the right to the $rotection o% the "oral and "aterial interests resulting %ro" an ! scienti%ic& literar! o r artistic $roduction o% #hich he is the author
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COP+2/0 -S4S 0/- --DOM O -P-SS+ON Seen %ro" a di%%erent angle& co$!right is not a $ositive right to do so"ething ut con%ers a negative right& #hich restricts others %ro" co$!ing the original #or' o% an author A right %or one $erson is thus a restriction on another Since the la# o% co$!right $rotects the right o% one $erson and restrains another %ro" e,ercising corres$onding rights& the uestion naturall! arises as to #hether the right o% the co$!right o#ner in%ringes the %reedo" o% e,$ression o% another under Arti,le 1$@1 @a of the Constit#tion or the %reedo" o% usiness o% another guaranteed under Arti,le 1$@1@g. nli'e de%a"ation& conte"$t& "oralit!& decenc!& incite"ents to an
o%%ence and the li'e& co$!right is not one o% the s$eci%ied restrictions under Arti,le 1$@(. @o#ever& the la# o% co$!right is an incident o% the general la# o% $ro$ert!
.hatever an individual $roduces ! the a$$lication o% his laour& intellect or s'i ll is his $ro$ert! The la# o% co$!right creates a %urther statutor! intangile right o% $ro$ert! in res$ect o% such #or' i% it is an original #or' 8 The right to %ree e,$ression or %ree trade cannot e stretched to "ean that a $erson can e entitled to e ne %i t %ro" an ot he r+s $r o$ er t! or th e %rui ts o% another+s laour #hether tangile or intangile
A
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;air use is a doctrine in nited States co$!right la# that allo#s li"ited use o% co$!righted "aterial #ithout reuiring $er"ission %ro" the rights holders& such as use %or scholarshi$ or revie#9The co"$eting interests o% the right holders and the users o% co$!right #or' rests on a delicate alance and *o$!right la# "aintains it #ith the hel$ o% %air use or %air dealing $rovisions ;air dealing+ is a %or"ulation 'no#n to 5urisdictions that evolved out o% the 2ritish co""on la# co$!right s!ste" These $rovisions $rovide $rotection %or "aterials ta'en %or 8 The *o$!right Act& 1907& Section 13 (1) (a) 9 htt$:<
research or stud!& criticis" or revie#& re$orting the ne#s and %or $ur$oses related to 5udicial $roceedings1 &D#& S 'E&#RO ( n ndia& Section 0 o% the *o$!right Act& 1907 e,$lains #hat all are not legall! in%ringe"ents The section egins #ith %air dealing as one o% the e,ce$tions o% in%ringe"ent Accordingl!& fair dealing /ith a literary% dramatic% musical or artistic /ork for the purposes of 0i1 research or private study2 or 0ii1 criticism or revie/% /hether of that /ork or of any other /ork3 does not constitute in%ringe"ent The "a'ing o% not "ore than three co$ies o% a oo' (including a $a"$hlet& sheet o% "usic& "a$& chart or $lan) ! or under the direction o% the $erson in charge o% a $ulic lirar! %or the use o% the lirar! i% such oo' is not availale %or sale in ndia& the re$roduction& %or the $ur$ose o% research or $rivate stud! or #ith a vie# to $ulication& o% an un$ulished literar!& dra"atic or "usical #or' 'e$t in a lirar!& "useu" or other institution to #hich the $ulic has access: Elaorating the conte,t o% studies& the Section %urther holds that 4the reproduction of a literary /ork...0i1 !y a teacher or a pupil in the course of instruction or 0ii1 as part of the 5uestion to !e ans/ered in an examination2 or 0iii1 in ans/er to such 5uestion.6 (Sec 0 (1) (h) o% *o$!right Act) also co"es under e,ce$tion to co$!right in%ringe"ent The "ost i"$ortant uestion involved here is that #hen such a usage a"ounts to in%ringe"ent n Ramesh 'haudhary 7 Ors. v. #li. -ohd 88 % it #as held that: "er!atim lifting of the text to the extent of copying the complete set of exercise and the key to such exercises can in no manner !e termed as a revie/% criticism or a guide to the original /ork and thus it amounts to infringement F Si"ilarl!& in Syndicate $ress of )niversity of 'am!ridge 7 #nr. v. 9asturi Lal 7 Sons8:& #hich also involved the verati" li%ting o% the te,t to the e,tent o% co$!ing the co"$lete set o% e,ercise 1 htt$:<
and the 'e! to the e,ercise And hence& the court oserved that the act o% the de%endants could not e ter"ed to e a revie#& criticis" or a guide to the original #or' The *ourt also o$ined that: While the universal nature of kno/ledge and its dissemination freely is a approving concept !ut it must not transgress rights of an author guaranteed !y the 'opyright #ct. Those /ho possess the a!ility to create also possess the right to assert that their creation !e recogni;ed and identified /ith them. They have the right to proclaim that no other person infringes upon their claim of originality and the right to limit the use and prevent the a!use of their creation.F ).S. S 'E&#RO ( To decide i% a given use o% a co$!righted #or' is a %air use& the 1976 *o$!right Act $rovides %or %our %a ctors #hich needs to e considered: 1. 0he p#rpose and ,hara,ter of the #se6 in,l#ding whether it is for profit or for a nonEprofit ed#,ational p#rpose6
The nature o% the co$!righted #or'& 3 The $ercentage o% the total #or' that is used and& The e%%ect the use #ill have on the value or $ro%it-"a'ing $otential o% the original #or'
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1 asic ooks v. inko’s #raphics *orp.8< / 2! the 199s another issue involving classroo" co$!ing had eco"e controversial& that #as the use o% course $ac'ages in 1 6(3) >T* 87 (/el) 13 708 ; Su$$ 10
college classes n 1991 a %ederal court ruled that Iin'o+s ?ra$hics& a "a5or $roducer o% these course $ac'ets& had to $a! ro!al ties %or virtuall! all o% the co$!righted "aterials (such as "againe or 5ournal
articles and oo' cha$ters)
included in these custo" co"$ilation o% $reviousl! $ulished "aterials The court held that such large-scale co$!ing #as not a %air use as the result #as that co"$anies li'e Iin'o+s and college oo'stores #ere no# charging higher $rices %or course $ac'ets so ro!alties had to e $aid to each co$!right o#ner +rince ton 0ni!ersity +ress v. 1ichigan $ocument -er !ices 23 / n this case& the court+s -1 "a5orit! o$inion gave teachers and co$!ing services co"$lete right to co$! "againe and 5ournal articles as #ell as large $arts o% oo's %or inclusion in course $ac'ets ! holding that such co$!ing is a %air use& and not a"ounting to co$!right in%ringe"ent Ar"ed #ith this decision& "an! co$!ing services geared u$ %or a onana o% ro!alt!-%ree co$!ing 2ut then the celeration ended as the %ull $anel o% 5udges sitting on the si,th circ uit voted to set asid e the earlier ruling and rehear the case The 5udges then voted 8-0 to overturn the earlier decision and ruled that large-scale co$!ing %or course $ac'ets #as indeed an in%ringe"ent& and not a %air use %.
Williams 7 Wilkins v ).S. 8= > This case #as initiated ! a $ulishing house #hose "edical 5ournals #ere eing $hotoco$ied on a "assive scale ! %ederall! %unded "edical liraries& so that the liraries could avoid $urchasing additional co$ies The $ulishing house lost its case as in 1973 a %ederal court said that the disse"ination o% "edical 'no#ledge #as so i"$ortant that this co$!ing #as a %air use The case #as a$$ealed to the S Su$re"e *ourt& ut the decision o% the %ederal court re"ained unchanged
1 7 ;3d 108 10 87 ;d 130& S
