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So the Associated Press (AP) kicked up a little kerfuffle last week when it started threatening bloggers who quote AP stories.

It seems that the AP sent a takedown notice to an independent blog site called the Drudge Retort, demanding that they stop quoting AP stories and linking back to them.

The news media and bloggers are having a field day with it. Things did NOT die down over the weekend. In fact, if anything many people are just winding up to have their say.

Michael Arrington of TechCrunch responded to the AP’s actions by noting that the AP is wrong — and banning AP stories. Mathew Ingram, technology writer with Toronto’s Globe and Mail is just one of the chorus of veteran journalists and editors opining that the AP needs to get a clue. Jeff Jarvis of Buzzmachine goes further and says, “For shame, AP.”

What’s at issue is the interpretation of copyright law and what constitutes “fair use.” If the quoting of the AP articles is fair use, then it’s protected under copyright law. If it isn’t fair use, then it’s not protected.

There’s even a handy 4-part test of what constitutes fair use.

Sounds like an easy issue, right? Just look it up and see what’s fair use, right? Read entire article.

Posted in Planning & Strategy, Technology

How do you take advantage of social media sites without them eating up your entire day, like the attack of the killer tomatoes?

You know what I’m talking about … those social media sites where you can network with other people, make valuable business contacts, and spread the word about your business. Everything from blogs to Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn to ….

Social media sites can put punch into your marketing and PR at little or no cost. The price is definitely right — the price in dollar terms, that is. For some small businesses social media has become a cost effective and crucial part of the marketing mix.

Only problem is … 4 hours into it you’re flitting from site to site reading everything in your path, leaving comments and voting on your favorite articles, and making new connections along the way. With no end in sight! It’s social media marketing gone amuck.

Meanwhile your phone goes unanswered. Your email inbox is reaching crisis proportions. And work keeps piling up. Read entire article.

Posted in Planning & Strategy, Sales & Marketing