Newspapers should copyright their websites because, in practical terms, it formalizes and strengthens control over their most valuable asset: original journalism. While copyright technically exists upon creation under U.S. Copyright Law, formal registration and active enforcement materially improve a publisher’s legal and commercial position.
Copyrighting a newspaper website isn’t just a legal formality; it’s an essential business control mechanism. It protects revenue, preserves editorial integrity, and ensures that the economic value of journalism for the organization that produced it.
On Aug. 22, 2024, the Copyright Office adopted a rule on group registration of updates to news websites. The rule allows publishers to submit copies of their homepages as identifying material to evaluate registration on a monthly basis.
Previously, publishers lacked a feasible way to protect their online properties as registration would require the submission of complete copies of publisher websites each day.
Timely registration of copyrights is vital for publishers. Without it, rightsholders are not entitled to statutory damages and attorney fees that are necessary for viable enforcement of copyrights due to the high cost of federal litigation. This rule gives publishers access to the full benefits of the copyright system.
The rule applies to news websites. The rule is based on the same application as the group registration option for newspapers.
