PIONEER PRESS TO SUE OVER CAMPAIGN AD

By: Staff Reports Senate Candidate Runs TV Ad With Newspapers' Images





The St. Paul Pioneer Press is gearing up its legal team to file a lawsuit against Republican U.S. Senator Rod Grams over a televised campaign ad that includes material from the newspaper, the Minnesota daily reports.


Paul Hannah, an attorney for the Pioneer Press, said the Grams campaign violated the newspaper's copyright by including images of a Pioneer Press article without permission in a TV commercial. The ad, which attacked Democratic opponent Mark Dayton, contains visuals of story clippings from the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press.


The Grams campaign claims the visuals fall under the "fair use doctrine" since the campaign ad does not compete with or hurt the profits of the Pioneer Press.


But Pioneer Press Editor Walker Lundy said, "We don't want Pioneer Press stories to become part of any candidate's campaign because it may make some people think the newsroom is taking sides."


The stories covered Dayton's earlier criticism of drug companies in which he held stock.


The Star Tribune is looking into the use of its material, but does not plan any immediate action, said Frank Parisi, the Star Tribune's senior vice president.




Copyright 2000, Editor & Publisher.