What journalists need to know about copyright, defamation suits, June 7

Knowing the essentials of copyright and libel laws is critical for newsroom journalists and independent freelancers — especially in an increasingly litigious media environment.

Register now for a free, 75-minute webinar on the topic on Friday, June 7, that begins at 11:30 a.m. EDT. Attorney Chad Bowman of Ballard Spahr will outline copyright and libel law essentials for today’s media environment and take questions to help journalists and freelancers understand their rights and how to follow the law. The National Press Club Journalism Institute is partnering with the Club’s Freelance Team to produce this program.

Media lawyers report a significant uptick in defamation lawsuits brought against journalists by plaintiffs who don’t want to be called on their false narratives or want to punish reporters for their work. Some of these lawsuits are getting farther in the court system than they used to, costing journalists and news organizations precious time and money.

Copyright violations are a risk for media professionals, too. In an era of artificial intelligence and social media, journalists need to be aware of copyright and fair use law when working with digital content, especially when it is easy to cut, paste and distribute content online.

Participants will learn: 

• Key legal pitfalls and strategies for journalists when it comes to libel and copyright law
• When to ask questions of an editor while news gathering or using others’ content (i.e. when using quotes, photos, published work, and other media in your stories)
• What to do if you are threatened with a defamation suit 
• What independent journalists need to know to protect themselves without the resources of a newsroom.

This webinar will not be recorded or distributed to attendees.

About the speaker

Chad R. Bowman‘s practice focuses on working with new and legacy media organizations, such as The Associated Press, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post. Bowman regularly advises clients about publication risk; reviews draft television news scripts, magazine features, newspaper reports, digital media stories and other content; and advises on newsgathering and intellectual property issues. As a litigator, he has defended media clients in state and federal courts in contested defamation, privacy, copyright, subpoena, access, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and related First Amendment cases.