AP’s new fair use guidelines for the grassroots—in keeping with wire service’s respect for civic involvement
"The Associated Press…said that it will…attempt to define clear standards as to how much of its articles and broadcasts bloggers and Web sites can excerpt…" – New York Times.
NEW YORK (AP) – Strung by rampant misappropriation of news but in keeping with respect for civic involvement, the Associated Press is issuing new guidelines for use of its dispatches.
1. Blog excepts longer than 10 words or five percent of an article will cost $675 a word beyond the limit.
2. To assure the most professional presentation of AP-created content, all bloggers must follow The AssociatedPress Stylebook and pay fines of $5,000 per deviation or typo spotted.
3. AP will supply a list of Congress members found to be excessively sympathetic to fair use, and bloggers must use lower-case "r" in"rep." or "s" in "sen." when it appears before their names—for example, "rep. Jack D. Ripper." Same in other contexts—for example, "gen. Jack D. Ripper" or "prof. Jack D. Ripper."
4. One-day posting of AP-written news clips on home refrigerators is allowable without charge, in keeping with AP’s respect for civic involvement and family values.
5. Unlimited refrigerator posting privileges are available for $35,000 per year per household member.
Mea culpa: Apologies to AP for botching the guidelines in the Stylebook for which I’m too cheap to pay $18.95, excluding shipping.
And more seriously: Simon Owens’s interview with Drudge Retort owner Rogers Cadenhead, target of the DMCA takedown notices, who was clashing with AP even before the current round of publicity. Also see Techmeme roundup.
Image credit: CC-licensed photo from Rochelle Hartman and gang.
June 16th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
>>>1. Blog excepts longer than 10 words or five percent of an article will cost $675 a word beyond the limit.
You trying to kill me? My mind automatically starting clocking a word count and I saw the Workhouse for me!
Good thing I skipped to the bottom to see the disclaimer.
Close one, Rothman!
June 17th, 2008 at 11:47 am
LOL