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If you tell people about your idea, how can
you be sure it will not be taken and used by somebody else without
involving you? The simple answer is that you cannot copyright an
idea as such unless it is in some tangible form.
There is more information about the issue of
copyright in the media law section of this website, but in short,
the best way to protect an idea is to keep it to yourself and only
tell someone that you trust. You can express your idea on paper,
place it in a stamped, addressed envelope and mail it to yourself
as a precaution, but not open it when it arrives. This way, if you
tell someone about your idea and they then use it without your permission,
you have something date stamped to prove that the idea was in existence
at that time.
It is important to ensure that your career does
not solely rest on a single idea. If you are going to be working in
the media industry it's always good to have lots of ideas, but only
broadcast them to others at an appropriate time with their agreement
that they are being told in confidence. |
