What Is a Copyright License and Content Licensing?

A copyright license is an ongoing legal agreement between a copyright holder and a third-party that authorizes the third party to print, publish, perform, film or record literary, artistic or musical material that the copyright holder owns. If your team plans on using copyrighted content on a regular basis, buying a license through a content licensing company can be beneficial, since it will reduce the time spent negotiating with publishers.

If you are looking to republish material, you should seek to get copyright permission through a copyright licensing agreement. By obtaining a license, you are ensuring your legal rights to use someone else’s intellectual property. Additionally, licensing content from outside experts can give credibility to your brand or help you supplement your own media coverage. 

In order to get a copyright license, your team will need to identify the permissions needed and contact the copyright holder. For a step-by-step review, check our post on how to get a copyright license. 

Copyright law was introduced to the U.S. when the country was first founded (1790). The First Congress added this to the Constitution as a way to encourage scientists, inventors, authors and other creators by granting them exclusive rights over their work for a period of time. Copyright protects the tangible form of an idea and gives citizens an incentive to work on new projects that can better the lives of their fellow Americans. 

For companies looking to avoid copyright infringement, it's important to make sure that there is a contract in place before publishing or reusing material that doesn’t belong to you. While this sounds very simple in theory, there are still many misconceptions around copyright. For example, just because a sales person wrote a byline in an industry journal, does not give you the right to post it to your website. It’s important to be clear which use cases are covered under a license and which are not. When in doubt, turn to your legal team for guidance.

Content licensing is a specific type of copyright licensing. It’s suggested if you are looking to republish the material in your publications, blog posts and other content initiatives. If permission is available for the material, the copyright holder will authorize your usage in an agreement that defines the platforms, terms, territories, languages and fees.

• Health and Wellness Content Licensing
• Travel Content Licensing

NYTLicensing offers independent journalism and storytelling across a range of formats to help you craft a more comprehensive content strategy. Choose from original reporting from The New York Times or dive deep with rights-cleared material from a variety of respected publications in the areas of business, health, lifestyle, science and technology, opinion and more. Popular titles include Harvard Business Review, Scientific American and Slate.

· What Is Content Licensing?
· 7 Ways Licensed Content Can Boost Your Content Marketing ROI
· When Can I Use Copyrighted Material Without Permission?
· Licensing Rights and Permission to Reprint and Republish Articles
· How to Get Copyright Permission
· How to Get a Copyright License
· Republishing Guide for Newspapers
· Copyright FAQs
· What Is Third-Party Content?
· Can I Legally Copy News Content to My Website?
· How to Properly Repost Articles: The Ultimate Guide