Media Contact:
Lindsey Loving
Manager, Communications
Lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org
571.366.1009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2015
Arlington, VA – The Newspaper Association of America (NAA) applauds the introduction of the Copyright Office for the Digital Economy Act (“CODE Act“) by Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Tom Marino (R-PA). The CODE Act would establish the Copyright Office as an agency in the legislative branch, with a President-appointed Director. It would also require steps to be taken that would ensure the Copyright Office remains technologically advanced and separate – operationally and financially – from the Library of Congress.
NAA strongly supports the idea of a restructured Copyright Office that would maintain an information technology (IT) infrastructure separate from the Library, both in function and funding. “There have been troubling aspects of the registration process that have made it difficult for newspapers to protect their content,” said NAA president and CEO, David Chavern. “For example, registration of print newspapers through the Copyright Office is currently submitted in microfilm format. This is grossly out of touch with today’s technology. We urge Congress to consider this legislation and the issues raised by the newspaper industry expeditiously and with a vision toward the future of journalism.”
As consumers continue to embrace digital and mobile platforms for consuming news and other information, the Copyright Office should enhance its technological capability to allow for registration of content that is constantly evolving throughout the day. Addressing the broken registration process to facilitate electronic registration of print and website content will assure all creators of content can protect their intellectual property rights.
About NAA
NAA is a nonprofit organization representing nearly 2,000 newspapers and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and Canada. NAA members include daily newspapers, as well as nondailies, other print publications and online products. Headquartered near Washington, D.C., in Arlington, Va., the association focuses on the major issues that affect today’s newspaper industry: public policy/legal matters, advertising revenue growth and audience development across the medium’s broad portfolio of products and digital platforms. Information about the association and the industry also may be found at www.newsmedia.com.
Lindsey is Director, Communications at the News/Media Alliance. Prior to joining the Alliance, she led communications for a food and nutrition nonprofit in Washington, D.C. for over eight years.
