Am I allowed to read passages from a book in my podcast?
February 2, 2022 | 50,00 EUR | answered by Isabel Tressel
Dear Media Law Attorney,
I am running a podcast and would like to read passages from a book in it. However, I am unsure if this is legally allowed and what potential consequences there could be.
The situation is as follows: I have read a book that I really enjoyed and would like to share some sections of it in my podcast. These passages are relevant to the content of my podcast and I believe that my listeners would benefit from them.
However, I am currently unsure if I am allowed to simply read passages from a book without obtaining permission from the author or publisher. I do not want to commit copyright infringement, but at the same time, I do not want to forego the presentation of these passages in my podcast.
My concern is that I may face legal consequences if I read passages from the book without permission. Therefore, I am wondering if there is a way to do this legally and what steps I need to take to avoid any legal issues.
Could you please provide me with information on whether it is allowed to read passages from a book in my podcast and what steps I need to take to do this legally?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Roberta Kockel
Dear Mrs. Kockel,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the use of passages from a book in your podcast. Copyright and the use of protected works is an important and complex issue that also plays a significant role in media law.
In general, every work, including a book, is automatically protected by copyright. This means that the author or publisher has the sole rights to reproduce and distribute the work. So, if you wish to read passages from a book in your podcast, you generally need permission from the rights holder, which could be the author or publisher.
However, there are exceptions and ways to use protected works under certain conditions without committing a copyright infringement. One of these ways is the right to quote. If you quote short excerpts from the book in your podcast and do so in a specific context with proper attribution, you can use the right to quote to read passages from the book.
It is important to note that the right to quote is not unlimited and certain conditions must be met. The quotes must be in a reasonable proportion to the overall work and must not harm the commercial interests of the rights holder.
If you are unsure whether the use of passages from the book in your podcast falls under the right to quote, I recommend seeking legal advice. A media law attorney can provide you with more precise information and determine if your planned use of the passages is legally permissible.
I hope that this information has been helpful, and I am available to answer any further questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Isabel Tressel
