Copyright can be a prickly issue. Most mediated material -- books, pictures, videos, DVD's, CD-ROM's, music, software, and websites -- is copyright protected. With few exceptions, it will be necessary to secure written permission (also known as copyright clearance) from the copyright holder prior to putting the material on-air. Be aware that "Fair Use" and/or the TEACH Act generally do not apply to community cable television channels like ASUtv. Even material licensed by an ASU library may not be exempted from this policy, because such licensing does not necessarily include permission for the broadcast of the material over a community cable channel.

     The individual faculty member is responsible for obtaining copyright clearances, where applicable. This generally is done with a written letter or by email. The request letter should include the following:

1. Correct title, author, artist, producer and/or editor, the edition of the material to be shown, and the owner and date of the copyright;
2. Description of exact material to be shown (e.g. page numbers, part or parts of video, etc.);
3. Type of broadcast system (e.g., cable educational channel in metropolitan Phoenix area);
4. Purpose or reason for showing it.

Finally, if securing copyright clearance for broadcast over ASUtv is problematic, other options may be available under the auspices of the TEACH Act. This primarily means online delivery, but with a few special stipulations thrown in. Please contact Ken Rudich (480-965-1744 or Kenneth.Rudich@asu.edu ) for further information. co