A new take on copyright.

I've written a book. It's just gone off to the publisher. It's called Amazing Diving Stories.

There are 65 stories, most of which I have witnessed in some way.

I wrote to a few participants too get a few quotes.

The wife of one wrote back saying I couldn't use that particular story because they owned it.

I know about intellectual property but do they really think they can own an incident?

Not much to go on...but who wrote the words? You or the wife?

But you are right. AFAIK IP rights applies to the expression of the thought/idea - the words or image(s) used to express the idea - not the idea itself.

If that makes sense....?

If I wrote the accompanying text, I might be inclined to call their bluff...

Not much to go on...but who wrote the words? You or the wife?

 

I did.

 

But you are right. AFAIK IP rights applies to the expression of the thought/idea - the words or image(s) used to express the idea - not the idea itself.

 

If that makes sense....?

 

If I wrote the accompanying text, I might be inclined to call their bluff...

I did! Journalism could not exist if anyone could own an incident (unless it was performance art, I suppose.)

I did! Journalism could not exist if anyone could own an incident (unless it was performance art, I suppose.)

Quite. I think I would be inclined to refer to Arkell v Pressdram in my reply...

Quite. I think I would be inclined to refer to Arkell v Pressdram in my reply...

Reply?

Reply?

I was hypothesising - what my reply might be if faced with a similar situation, where someone was trying to apply copyright to something that isn't really intellectual property.

I was hypothesising - what my reply might be if faced with a similar situation, where someone was trying to apply copyright to something that isn't really intellectual property.

I saw no merit in replying. They can wait to discover the story is in the book some day - but without any quote from him. Everyone else I contacted was pleased to see their story published.

As a post script, I just got a charming letter from Lord Tebbit in the House of Lords, encouraging me to use the story I wrote about him (with quotes)!