Chapter 1 – General Administration

12060.7 Infringement

• Magazine articles, short stories, poems, films, videotapes, audiotapes, television programs, motion pictures, computer software, video games and contributions to periodicals, newspapers, are usually copyrighted as part of the magazine, book, periodical, newspaper, video recording, motion picture, television program, computer software, video game, audio recording, if never before published.

• Illustrations, cuts, or pictures in a book are protected by the book copyright.

• Pictures that are not attached to the binding, but are in a separate pocket or folder, are protected by the book copyright.

• News, as such, is not subject to copyright since it is “fact” and therefore belongs to the public but reproduction of articles and television news segments for distribution may infringe on copyrights. Consult with the Assistant Director, Communications, or Deputy Director, LADLegal Affairs Division (see OLA), for guidance in advance of such reproduction.

• Material that has previously been copyrighted does not lose its copyright by being included in a government publication that is in the public domain.

• The copy does not have to be “sold” to be an infringement of the original.