Page:Compendium of US Copyright Office Practices (1973).pdf/27

2.4.4

Preparation and Suitability for Oral Delivery.(cont'd)

I.

Preparation in the first instance for oral delivery.(cont'd)

d.

The mere fact that the claimant has read, or intends to read, his work orally to a few friends does not make it a "work pre­pared for oral delivery," if it is clear that the work was prepared in the first instance for publication.

Example:

Claimant states in a letter of transmittal that he has sent his work to various magazines.

II.

Suitability for oral delivery.

a.

To be registrable in Class C, a work must be complete enough for actual oral presentation in its present form, without substantial further development.

1.

An outline, synopsis, or description of the idea of a television or radio pro­gram, stage show, lecture series, etc., is not registrable in Class C, even if fairly detailed.

2.

Where the applicant deposits an outline or synopsis of a series of programs, to­gether with one sample script, the appli­cant will be asked to detach the outline or synopsis and register the script alone, and will be cautioned that registration for the script will not protect the idea or plan, the future scripts in the series, or the series as a whole.

3.

A general outline of the ideas or information to be expounded in a speech, such as a list of topic words or sentences, or a group of brief notes, is not regis­trable in Class C. However, if a script is actually capable of oral delivery, the fact that it is in outline form will not preclude registration in Class C.

[1973]