Jack Colldeweih, NJJC Guest Editor:
Beth Haller, in "Journalism in Cyberspace: Current Copyright Implications," deals with one aspect of another major legal issue that was not helped at all by the Telecommunications Act of 1966: the problems of copyright "surrounding journalists quoting and using sources obtained from computer sources such as computer networks, bulletin boards and electronic mail." She concludes with suggestions for both journalists and their employers in preventing violations by or against them.

Computer-assisted reporting is being embraced by numerous publications and newspapers, as well as journalism schools. The power of this method is contantly touted, but the potential legal pitfalls are only recently being mentioned. This article deals with the copyright issues surrounding media workers quoting and using sources obtained from computer sources such as computer networks, bulletin boards and electronic mail. A few recent legal cases and the Clinton Administration are beginning to address this issue of copyright in cyberspace. But currently media workers are moving in uncharted waters as they begin to quote more and more from electronic sources. This area might become ripe for copyright lawsuits against media organizations. On the other side of the issue, media organizations that are now putting their publications on-line should be aware of the possible copyright infringrment that can take place against them.