Associated Press Settles Lawsuit Against All Headline News

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 14, 2009 - 9:37am.

New York - The Associated Press announced that it has settled a lawsuit filed against AHN Media over the use of AP content on its websites.

AP alleged in the suit that All Headline News merely rewrote general interest AP news stories as they appeared on the wires, added its own byline, and distributed them without any attribution.

Under the terms of the settlement, AHN Media acknowledged "many instances in which AHN improperly used AP's content without AP's consent," and agreed to pay an unspecified sum for past unauthorized uses.

The company also agreed it will not in the future "make competitive use of content or expression from AP stories."

"AP invests hundreds of millions of dollars to gather and to distribute essential breaking news worldwide that customers legitimately access and use by payment of a license fee," said AP associate general counsel Laura Malone.

"This settlement safeguards AP's investments in journalism, and serves as notice to others that AP will fully defend its intellectual property rights against unfair competition."

http://www.allheadlinenews.com