Skip to Main Content

Copyright: Video, images and audio

TV and radio broadcasts

The University has licence agreements with the Educational Recording Agency (ERA) and Sky, which enable us to record broadcast TV and radio. The recordings are stored on a streaming server, shuplayer, for SHU staff and students to access and view online; download is not permissible.  Watch and listen again sites, such as BBC iPlayer, are not covered by these agreements. The majority of titles can be accessed on and off campus within the UK; any limitations are due to licensing restrictions. Programmes can be found via Library Search by limiting the search to Video/Video Online and /or Audio/Audio Online.

Clips can be created quickly and easily by making a bookmark. The bookmarking tool, which is automatically available when you access a programme online, allows  you to mark the beginning and end of a section you want to use. You aren't making a copy just indicating where you want to start and stop viewing. These virtual clips can be linked to from presentations, Blackboard etc.  Screencasts about searching for Video and Audio Online and about creating bookmarks can be found under Help on the shuplayer portal.

Recordings of TV and radio broadcasts, whether they are accessed online or from a DVD copy, are for the educational use of SHU staff and students only. Use is restricted to within the UK.

CDs and DVDs

The playing of commercially produced DVDs and CDs is permitted within an educational establishment provided that the audience only includes University staff and students, and the programme is used for instructional purposes. For any other use, e.g. recreational or before an audience that includes non University staff/students, a licence must be obtained.  See Filmbank for more information.

Copying commercially produced CDs and DVDs is not permissible unless it is under one of the copyright exceptions (link goes here). If technical protection measures are in place that prevent the copying permitted under legislation, it is not legal to circumvent them.

Creative Commons licences

Creative Commons Licences enable people who create content to attach licences to their work; the licences make it explicit how the work can be reused whilst the creator retains the copyright.  There are 6 licences.  BY is the most liberal, permitting re-use and adaptation provided that the work is acknowledged.  BY ND NC is at the other extreme, allowing re-use provided that it is is for non-commercial purposes, not adapted in any way, and acknowledged. Each licence is represented by a graphical symbol, making is easy to see what is permissible.

The Creative Commons website gives information about the 6 licences and how to apply them to your work, as well as quick access to search tools for images, music and video resources with a Creative Commons Licence.

Video and audio on the web

It is only legal to download and reuse video or audio found on the web if it falls under a copyright exception, is out of copyright, or the copyright owner gives their permission - this may be in the form of a Creative Commons Licence.  Be aware that content may have been uploaded to an website without the copyright owner's permission; this is 'infringing content' and should not be re-used.  For example, it is a good idea to check that video on YouTube has been uploaded by the copyright owner.

Images

Photo credit: 'Otter at Rest' by Peter Trimming via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Copying images is not permissable unless it is covered by one of the copyright exceptions and complies with fair dealing under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.

If use is not covered under a copyright exception, e.g. you want to find an image to make a presentation look more attractive, search for copyright-free images or images released under a Creative Commons Licence, such as the one above.

An image may be re-used if it is out of copyright or if the copyright owner has given permission.

Media literacy

Further information

Disclaimer

These pages are intended to provide guidance to members of Sheffield Hallam University on matters of copyright and the copying of materials for learning, teaching and research at the University.  Whilst we have endeavoured to ensure the accuracy of these guidelines, they should not be construed as definitive legal opinion on such matters and should not be taken as legal advice.

Adsetts Library [map pdf]
Collegiate Library [map pdf]

Sheffield Hallam University
City Campus, Howard Street
Sheffield S1 1WB
Sheffield Hallam Library Signifier