Unions for freelance writers settled claims for online copyright ...

Writers Union claimed articles by freelance writers for various media were added to online archives and databases without writers’ consent going back 12 years. The 2001 Supreme Court ruling in Tasini v. New York Times established the right of writers to control their work’s online distribution. The unions expect preliminary approval from the U.S. Dist. Court, N.Y.C., within a month. Under the settlement, publishers and database companies will pay writers up to $1,500 for articles they appropriately registered for copyright under federal law, and up to $60 for articles not registered for copyright. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there are many writers who did not register their copyrights who will earn thousands of dollars from the settlement because they have so many claims,” said ASJA Pres. Lisa Cool. Newspaper analyst John Morton, who said the settlement “wasn’t a huge amount,” predicted few freelance claims for copyrighted work: “Most writers don’t bother to copyright things… I suspect the vast majority [of affected freelancers] will be getting the $60” maximum for each uncopyrighted article. But newspapers may start rewriting freelance contracts to reserve the right to publish freelancers’ works however they want for the same payment, Morton said. He said he doesn’t expect newspapers to cut back on posting material online, especially since print and online operations are more integrated than ever and extra costs are marginal, he said: “I don’t think we're talking about big bucks here.”