AP Settles Dispute with Blogger; "Fair Use" Guidelines in Works

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 20, 2008 - 9:59am.

New York - The Associated Press (AP) has released a statement saying that it has settled an issue with a blogger whom it had demanded remove several posts that quoted short excerpts from AP stories. "In response to questions about the use of Associated Press content on the Drudge Retort web site, the AP was able to provide additional information to the operator of the site, Rogers Cadenhead, on Thursday," the AP said in a statement. "That information was aimed at enabling Mr. Cadenhead to bring the contributed content on his site into conformance with the policy he earlier set for his contributors. Both parties consider the matter closed."

The move by AP was initially thought to be the beginning of a larger campaign to define and corral "fair use" of its content on blogs, but the newsgathering agency retreated somewhat, after public outcry.

AP also said it met with representatives of a group called the Media Bloggers Association, which Rogers Cadenhead said helped him in talks with AP.

"In addition, the AP has had a constructive exchange of views this week with a number of interested parties in the blogging community about the relationship between news providers and bloggers and that dialogue will continue. The resolution of this matter illustrates that the interests of bloggers can be served while still respecting the intellectual property rights of news providers."

Cadenhead himself was doubtful that bloggers will be happy with the guidelines AP is developing.

"If AP's guidelines end up like the ones they shared with me, we're headed for a Napster-style battle on the issue of fair use," Cadenhead wrote on his blog.