WBZ 1030

[Garrett Wollman]

<<On Mon, 25 Mar 2019 00:12:19 -0400, "Don" <astelle.donald@gmail.com> said:

[I think this was Gary Francis:]
>>>> The BIG question is - do they own the rights to the shows (one of the 
>>>> living principals says "No!").

> I would say "of course they do"!

> Any work produced and aired locally by the station is obviosly
> there's.

Actually, it's pretty obviously a matter of contract.  Copyright law
would say that the show as a whole is a "work made for hire" -- unless
the contract between the participants and the station specifies
otherwise.  Other law (I don't think Massachusetts has personality
rights, BICBW) and other contract terms might give the talent more
say, or residuals, for rebroadcasts.

In the case of a call-in show, I have no idea what sort of legal
precedents might exist as far as callers go.  The guests will
presumably have been asked to sign a release, but I have no idea what
rights (beyond immediate broadcast) the station might claim in the
content originated by random people on the phone whose only
compensation was hearing their voice on the radio.  I bet this has
been litigated with respect to at least one nationally syndicated talk
show.

-GAWollman