A new group copyright registration option went into effect on July 22 of this year. The U.S. Copyright Office now allows news sites to register multiple “published updates…within the same calendar month” at the same time, rather than having to individually register each update. This is someone similar to the proposed rule change for artists that we reported on earlier this year.

Known as GNRW, this option would seem to be a huge boon to news sites like CNN and NPR, which are frequently updated with new stories. Instead of painstakingly registering every single update one at a time, they can now do a sort of “bulk update” that should streamline the process.

How will it work?

Understanding the GNRW Process

To use the GNRW option, qualifying news sites will have to use a specific application form. This new form was designed specifically for the GNRW option. It must be submitted, along with any deposit copies of the updates being registered that are required, using the electronic Copyright Office (eCO) registration portal.

How does a site qualify as a news site?

As dictated by the specific language used by the Copyright Office:

“A ‘news website’ is a website that is designed to be a primary source of written information on current events, either local, national, or international in scope, that contains a broad range of news on all subjects and activities and is not limited to any specific subject matter.”

Time will tell how this works for smaller news sites, but the rule definitely seems to be a step in the right direction for keeping up with the fast-paced world of online news.