Number: RS20964
Title: New York Times v. Tasini: The U.S. Supreme Court Affirms "Authorial" Right in Copyright
Authors: Robin Jeweler, American Law Division 
Abstract: This report examines the U.S. Supreme Court's opinion in New York Times Co. v. Tasini. This case considers whether, under the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. section 201)c), publishers are "privileged" to include the copyrighted articles of freelance authors in an electronic database. The authors contended that the copyright interest they conveyed to the publishers for original publication of their articles did not permit their subsequent reproduction and distribution in electronic databases. The Print and Electronic Publishers argued that the databases were a permissible "revision" of the original periodicals. Interpreting the Copyright Act to emphasize the primacy of authorial rights, the Court found for the freelance authors. The Court's analysis is discussed in this report.
Pages: 5
Date: Updated July 13, 2001