broadcast speech

From: Michael Seadle <seadle[_at_]MAINLIB3.LIB.MSU.EDU>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 08:54:03 -0400

I have a couple of questions about the intellectual property issues for TV/radio broadcasts.

1. Are the speeches of federal officials speaking on work related matters copyright protected, or are they unprotected in the same way that federal documents are? ...I'm guessing the latter, but I find no authority for my guess.
2. Does a broadcaster have an intellectual property interest in the spoken words themselves, as opposed to the images and commentary? ...My thought is that, since the broadcast adds nothing unique to the words themselves, it has no IP rights.

Many thanks... Michael

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Michael Seadle, seadle[_at_]pilot.msu.edu <mailto:seadle[_at_]pilot.msu.edu> Michigan State University Library phone: 517-432-0807; fax 517-432-1191
Editor, Library Hi Tech

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Received on Wed Apr 22 1998 - 13:02:54 GMT