How Can I Take Contents And Its Related Images From Any Website For My Newsletter Without Getting Into Any Legal Trouble?

[SpeedUp]

My role is to create newsletters for my company.The biggest challenge for me is to find content about the latest innovations and updates about an industry, say packaging industry. This is because i don't know whether I'm allowed to take contents from any websites. Please answer the following.
1) Can I take contents and its related images from any website?
2) If No, then from where can I get the contents without getting into any legal trouble?
3) How can I know that I'm free to use the contents of a website?
4) If you are someone who has experience in writing newsletters, Pls tell me how you go about it.

[murraymints]

DT May know he'll be here soon

[Maydup]

You need 2 licences. The first is a Copyright licence CLA

http://www.cla.co.uk/copyright_information/general_copyright_faqs/

Which allows you to copy from books, magazines and websites; the second is a Newspaper Licence NLA which covers news articles specifically.

http://www.nlamediaaccess.com/default.aspx?tabid=40

You have to be careful when copying images too, but they should be OK if they are covered by one of the above licences.

[factor-fiction]

I would have thought that there are no issues with providing a link to these company's pages

[factor-fiction]

^these companies' pages, even

[DTCwordfan]

This is a maybe reply, maybe not. It largely depends on what you want to use the contents for - for personal use or within a company, it's probably okay (as long as you are not a multi-national and I suspect not as you would have lawyers to advise you. Often there are statements and even blocks if the copyright owner doesn't want you to use them so go to the terms and conditions of the wen site and have a look there. There may be a contact link associated with it.

4 - How long is a piece of string? You need writing experience to do this. Start with defining what you want to go into the newsletter - is it results, projects, people's backgrounds, interviews and opinions, fun parts.....and then you need to wrap over the style/atmosphere and brand of the company before even thinking about writing one word. Are you writing it or editing folk's articles? I have done both - and usually it's a mix if you go the editing route.....

For a good newsletter, it maybe better to employ someone from outside. If not a big company, this doesn't have to be a full time employee, rather someone like me - that person can also help you develop marketing communications and should ideally have a marketing sales background to get the target audience and pitch of the writing right.....if your products are scientific - good luck. We folk who can understand science/engineering and extract the benefits (and negative points to counter PR-wise) are a rare breed.

[murraymints]

There...told you....DT is the man !!

[Maydup]

The question indicates that it's Speedup's role is to write the newsletter rather than to decide whether to employ someone else to do it.

As you say DT that implies a smaller company but nevertheless, it would hit them hard if they fell foul of the licences. Better to be safe than sorry and then scribble away happily rather than be fearful. Of what you can or can't do.

[Maydup]

....the big companies employ scanning programmes to search out reproduction so its particularly important if the newsletter is to be posted online. If its a paper version or on and intranet only, its less of a concern.

[woofgang]

With great respect to DTC, I am a bit concerned that this is a part of what you are employed for and you need to ask these things here....does your company not offer suitable training?

[factor-fiction]

Are you in the UK, Speedup?

[boxtops]

It depends too how you are using the content from other organisations' websites. If it's to be critical, then you need to tread very carefully - if it's to compare say with your own products, you also need to be sure that you are being fair to everyone who provides that product. Could you tell us what level you are in your organisation? The managers for the company will carry the responsibility if they are not instructing you properly.

[DTCwordfan]

A fair enough point from woofgang - no reply from Speedup......

[atalanta]

Why don't you just ask the companies concerned for permission ? If they could use the extra publicity, they might welcome your approach - or even put you in touch with their advertising people.
But whatever you do, don't just help yourself to someone else's artwork, designs or text. These are protected by the UK and International law of intellectual property, and it is possible for a company's lawyers to send you a letter demanding a fee, or threaten court action. You will have no choice but to pay it, and it could be huge.