Question on "Copyright Rules" regarding commentaries on blogs.

[Radio_Lady]

One of the authors I've interviewed in the past frequently posts his interesting commentaries on the blog Counterpunch.org.
In turn, he emails me the link. Then, I copy four paragraphs and directions to the original link.

However, I do have his permission to post the entire article in our forum Editorials & Articles. He says his work is NOT copyrighted and the other blogs have no such rule. His impression is that blog posts do not fall under the copyright rules and can be used in their entirety.

Here is what I glean from the DU rules:

Copyrights: Do not copy-and-paste entire articles onto this discussion forum. When referencing copyrighted work, post a short excerpt (not exceeding 4 paragraphs) with a link back to the original.

What if the blog commentary is NOT copyrighted and I have the author's permission to post the entire article?

Does the four-paragraph rule still apply?

Thanks for any responses you may have to this, or kindly direct me to someone who can ajudicate this.

In peace,

Radio_Lady

[some guy]

1. not a lot of help

but on some sites I've been to, there are "fair use" clauses. Either the site, or the particular article will say something about readers can do what they want with the article, as long as they don't change it, and credit the author.

I think four-paragraph rule doesn't apply in those cases (but you should include the "fair use" clause thing, and or notify mods at the top of of the post that it is allowable to post an entire article.

Unfortunately, I can't find an example right off hand, though I will go look some more.

edit: this is what I mean (from Naomi Klein's nologo.org site):
3. Can I reprint articles by Naomi that appear on this website?

You are free to circulate by email and repost to websites any article by Naomi Klein that appear on NoLogo.org. If possible, please cite www.nologo.org as the source of the article.

If you are an activist group and want to photocopy articles for use in campaigns or popular education, go ahead. Individual teachers are also free to photocopy articles for classroom use.

However, Naomi's articles may not be edited or republished in newspapers, magazines or books without written permission from Klein Lewis Productions. All reprint requests—including those from publishers, editors, and the media—should be directed to Jeremy Hurst at [e-mail] .

[Radio_Lady]

2. Kicked for the weekend morning crowd... thanks...

[idgiehkt]

3. I know very little about this but here is wikipedia's

policy, or whatever, on their stuff, which is free to reproduce

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_GNU_...

copyright by definition says that something can't be reproduced except under certain circumstances and by certain parties, and if those parties don't copyright it, and give permission for reproduction, then it seems to me there is no copyright and you should be able to use it how you want.

Some blogs, like by the people on the Bravo channel, may be copyrighted by the entity underwhich they post...or like the Animal Planet or something. But if the person is working idependently and says it's open copyright, I don't see the problem. Maybe the mods just don't have time to check on each one and want people to conform to a rule for the sake of keeping it simple?

[Call Me Wesley]

4. Locking.

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Thank you!

Call Me Wesley
DU Moderator