In a “friend of the court” brief filed earlier this month, the NWU joined a diverse coalition of writers and photographers to oppose the wholesale scanning of books and journals that are being used for university classes without payment to the original authors or publishers. Instead of having students buy the books for their classes, […]
NWU Defends Journalists Worldwide
We’ve recently reported on, and denounced, threats of vigilante violence and criminal prosecution against US journalists for doing their jobs. With the President-elect openly encouraging supporters to attack journalists at campaign rallies, we fear attacks on journalists who cover controversial topics in the US will escalate. While we speak out against attacks on US journalists, […]
International Solidarity, International Advocacy
In addition to our international connections through the UAW, the NWU is affiliated with three international organizations specifically related to our work as writers. In November, I traveled to Europe to meet with them, representing the NWU at meetings of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the International Authors Forum (IAF), and the International Federation […]
French Law on “Out of Commerce” Books Struck Down
Acting on a lawsuit brought by French freelance authors and supported by the NWU, the European Union’s Court of Justice has ruled that the French law permitting distribution of digital copies of books deemed “out of commerce,” without the consent of the authors, violates their rights and is invalid. We think the court was correct […]
NWU Statement on the Firing of Maria Pallante
On Friday, October 21, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden summarily removed Maria Pallante as Register of Copyright and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, the position she had held since 2011. It was the first time the head of the Copyright Office had been removed in 119 years! Ms. Pallante was reassigned as an advisor […]
Privacy vs. Copyright: Don’t Make Writers Choose
The National Writers Union (NWU) and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) filed comments October 17 with the US Copyright Office in response to pressure writers face in choosing between privacy and copyright protection. The Copyright Office recently proposed regulations by which writers—for a minimum $130 fee—could restrict some public access to the […]
NWU, Allies Educate Copyright Office on E-books
In our latest formal submission to the US Copyright Office on August 18th, the NWU and two other writers’ organizations provided an overview of the “new normal” for writers seeking to earn a living in the digital age. We also discussed how copyright policies designed for publisher-centric business models and old media serve to deprive […]
NWU and SFWA comments to the US Copyright Office on “Mass Digitization”
The NWU and our fellow writers of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. (SFWA) have filed joint comments with the US Copyright Office in response to a public inquiry concerning the possibility of a “pilot program” for mass digitization of written work through the legal device of “extended collective licensing” (ECL) and […]
NWU, Allies Advocate for Writers in Washington
Representatives of the NWU, the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) met in mid-August with key Congressional and White House staff responsible for copyright policy. The delegation of writers included NWU’s Edward Hasbrouck, book division co-chair, and Ann Hoffman, former 1st VP; SFWA’s past […]
Orphan Works and Extended Collective Licensing (ECL)
July 22, 2015 — What’s happening with “orphan works”? What is “Extended Collective Licensing” (ECL)? Why should NWU members and other writers care? These issues are complicated, but important for working writers. Many NWU members are only beginning to understand what is meant by so-called “orphan works”, and most writers have never heard of “Extended […]
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