PR industry body signs deal with copyright enforcer

Large PR agencies which are members of the Public Relations Institute of Australia may be able to avoid fines if they breach copyright under a new deal signed by the association.

PRIA’s Registered Consultancy Group signed the deal with Copyright Agency, a company which enforces copyright claims on behalf of rights holders such as newspapers and online publishers.

It means agencies which are caught out will be able to avoid a fine if they instead licence the content.

The issue is a key one for PR agencies which often use cuttings and screenshots to show their work to clients – a practice which can see them breach copyright.