The group said that existing copyright legislation has become a “serious obstacle for newspaper publishers to exploit their content in a reasonable and economically-viable fashion through the new distribution channels.”

A resolution approved by the board of WAN states that the Internet and other forms of electronic publishing have radically changed the business conditions and competitive environment of newspaper publishers.

The resolution argues that copyright law was established before the digital environment emerged, and that publishers are either prevented by law from using their content as they wish, or must pay several times when the content is published in a form other than on paper.

“Newspaper publishers play a vital role in the information society by creating and delivering high-quality content for use in different media. They need much stronger protection in copyright law for their business investment,” says the resolution. “The scope of these rights cannot be limited to the printed version of a newspaper. It must include all uses of content in whatever medium the publisher is engaged in.”