AP sues Meltwater News alleging copyright offense

The Columbian

Published: February 13, 2012, 4:00pm

NEW YORK (AP) — The Associated Press is suing a digital news distributor, claiming it infringed on AP copyrights.

The complaint, filed Tuesday in New York federal court, alleges that Meltwater U.S. Holding Inc. and its Meltwater News Service have been illegally selling AP content.

The suit alleges that Meltwater News has been pilfering current and past material from the AP and other news providers without paying licensing fees.

Meltwater News, based in San Francisco, began 11 years ago in Oslo, Norway, according to its website. Calls to the company were not immediately returned.

The AP has complained about websites improperly lifting content for years. In 2009, the not-for-profit news cooperative threatened to take legal action against Google Inc.

AP now has content licensing agreements with Google and other companies, including Yahoo and AOL.

Support local journalism

Your tax-deductible donation to The Columbian’s Community Funded Journalism program will contribute to better local reporting on key issues, including homelessness, housing, transportation and the environment. Reporters will focus on narrative, investigative and data-driven storytelling.

Local journalism needs your help. It’s an essential part of a healthy community and a healthy democracy.

Featured Realtor

Columbian Homes featured real estate agent

View Listings

Support local journalism

Related Stories