The Russian government has drafted legislation that would make it easier for news agencies to contest plagiarism of their reports, drawing cheers from big outlets like Interfax and RIA-Novosti, but critics say the bill is too vague to be effective, according to a Moscow Times report.
The law, drafted by the Communications and Press Ministry, would extend copyright protection to news reports, with the threat of fines and the possible confiscation of publications to dissuade media from using information without properly attributing its source.
Some details: [Link]
News agencies have long complained that other publications — particularly regional and Internet outlets — plagiarize their reports, but the problem became more pressing amid the financial losses related to the economic crisis.
“A copyright holder has to be protected both from the commercial and intellectual perspective,” Deputy Communications and Press Minister Alexander Zharov said last month after a roundtable of media professionals and government officials.
Zharov said the bill could be submitted to the State Duma when it reconvenes this fall.
Under the new regulations, a media outlet accused of plagiarism could be fined 10,000 rubles ($320) to 20,000 rubles ($645) and have its production confiscated. A reporter or editor could be warned or fined 1,000 rubles to 5,000 rubles, according to a copy of the bill provided by the ministry.
But the legislation still lacks many details, including what state body would levy the fines and confiscate materials or under what circumstances confiscations might occur. It also does not say whether a plagiarist would be fined separately for each instance.
The proposal was largely welcomed by the news media, although lawyers and some outlets warned that the lack of clarity could lead to inefficiency and harassment of smaller rivals.
Mikhail Komissar, chairman of Interfax’s board of directors, said at the roundtable that the concept of the bill was “right” and that “today news agencies’ reports are not protected.”
RIA-Novosti registered 1,608 cases of plagiarism of its exclusive news in the period from January to June, editor Svetlana Mironyuk said after the roundtable.
News agencies lose advertising revenue when a media outlet copies reports without citing the initial source of the news, since readers would not visit their web sites or see advertisements there, said Andrei Afanasyev, deputy head of Interfax’s legal department.
