1. "If it doesn't have a copyright notice, it's not copyrighted." This is one of the many myths people believe. In essence, everything with or without (generally) is in some way copyrighted. If you aren't sure ask and ask again.

2. "If I don't charge for it, it's not a violation." Wrong again, because there is no charge does not constitute you "stealing" from someone. There are exceptions to this rule, like music downloading. Be careful of your own actions.

3. "If it's not posted to Usenet it's in the public domain." If it doesn't explicitly say something to the discourse of "I grant this to public domain," then assume that it is copyrighted.

4. "My posting was just fair use." Why not create your own words, feelings and ideas. Fair use should still be attributed.

5. "If you don't defend your copyright you lose it." -- "Somebody has that name copyrighted." Copyright is almost never lost, however trademarks can over time become lost if not defended.

6. "If I make up my own stories, but base them on another work, my new work belongs to me." This is still copyright enfringement. If the story is derived from other works then you must obtain permission to use it.

7. "They can't get me, defendants in courts have powerful rights." Because copyright violations are civil matters, you can be sued but not charged with a crime. However, your career as a journalists may be called into question.

8. "Oh, so copyright violation isn't a crime or anything." Bottom line, it is.

9."It doesn't hurt anybody -- in fact it's free advertising." It's not free advertising if the owner doesn't want it. Always ask permission first.

10. "They emailed me a copy, so I can post it." A copy is just that -- a copy. This does not give you the legal right to it, however you may reveal facts or report on the email.

Be mindful of what fair use is and how copyrighting differs from that. Just to reiterate, always ask and never assume if something is or isn't copyrighted.

As a journalist, we must be mindful and vigilant in the stories we break. In 1998, the Dallas Morning News broke an inside story on Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky's infamous sex scandal. The Dallas paper published a story citing an inside source had witnessed the two in "an intimate encounter." Later the Dallas paper retracted the story saying that "the report was inaccurate."

The story was picked up on "Nightline," cable networks, and local televison and radio stations, all of whom got the story from the Dallas Morning News website. In less than 48 hours, the story had already spun out of control.

Many times a paper runs on hear say and want to be the first to break a news story that they get lost in the fervor of the story and don't do basic journalistic research to ensure the source and story are factual. Howard Kurtz who reports this story says, "news outlets that simply repeat someone else's "scoop"  -- which is all too common in the 90's -- are basically a no-source approach."

Read the story here:

Photo captions help tell the story of a photo and a big part of a story package. If a caption is incorrect, inaccurate or vague, it can detract or even turn off readers of your story. Here are a few tips to help create eye catching and engaging photo captions from Poynter.org's Kenny Irby:

1. Be accurate!

2. Avoid stating the obvious.

3. Identify main people in photograph.

4. Avoid making judgments.

5. Avoid terms such as "is shown, is pictured and looks on."

6. Use present tense.

7. Allow for longer captions when more information will help the reader.

8. Use quotes when necessary.

9. Don't assume.

10. Use conversational tone.

For the rest of the tips click here.

What is an RSS? RSS is short for "Really Simple Syndication," a format used by media sites and blogs to distribute content. RSS feeders search the internet for story topics that you select and "feed" them to you in one place. You can get basically any content fed to you as long as the provider has an RSS feed. One could look at an RSS feeder as their own personal service designed to give you exactly what you want in one convenient place of your choosing.

Using an RSS

First, you must get an RSS reader. There are three different kinds.

1. Stand-alone reader: Software that is downloaded to your desktop, two popular ones are FeedDemon and NetNewsWire.

2. Plug-in applications: Programs that are installed that add RSS functions to other software. These may be used with email services and in most internet browsers, RSS feeders are already installed.

3. Web-based readers: Web sites that store your RSS feeds and their content. Bloglines is a popular reader and works well for beginners.

Choosing Feeds

Once you have choosen a reader, it is up to you to decide what content you want delivered to your reader. Most websites now offer RSS. To find out if a particular website has a reader, look for a small orange button with "RSS" imprinted. Once you locate the url for the RSS feed, copy it into your subscription and follow your reader instructions.

RSS Feeds for Journalists

Irby has collected a few feeds that a young journalist may find useful in their career.