kerala kaumudi, thanking you for your co-operation

kerala kaumudi, thanking you for your co operation.

On September 9th, 2008, I had posted about an un authorized usage of a photograph taken by me in a Malayalam daily called Kerala Kamudi here:  കേരളകൌമുദിയുടെ ഓണക്കളവ്

I was notified about the usage by Sajiv Viajay who was in Kerala. He grabbed a copy, quickly scanned it and sent it to me. Sanad K was quick to come with a pdf link of the daily. (Beware photo editors, you think that you won’t be caught if you take content from internet. But that is not the case. This is is a perfect example. I have never met Sanad and haven’t met Sajiv in last 1 year or so. But they were ready to help me. So was numerous others around the globe.)
I E-mailed the editor and waited for a reply. Fellow photographers, bloggers, friends, especially Adv. Hari Raj M R had helped in the communication with Kerala Kaumdi.

Few days later, to my surprise, I received a call from B C Jojo, executive Editor of Kerala Kaumudi. He was open with me and admitted that “editorial staff used your (my) photo as they were unaware that this a photograph which had copyright“.

He also said  “Soon we will be republishing your image with due acknowledgment. We would like to send a remuneration.Please inform your full name and other necessary details for that.”

In the next mail, he asked for my bio-data and a photo. I had sent him a small bio data but decided against sending the photo.
Today I had a chat with B C Jojo and he said the remuneration cheque is ready.

I will be donating the amount, after deducting Rs 1000 towards my phone charges and time spend on this to a noble cause.

blogs posts describing / linking the incident:

1. Image theft again   Posted by Jo

2. Against plagiarism by the thieves of media  by  sudipta

3. Wake up, bloggers  by Sudipta Chatterjee

4. Mentioning what happens to the water mark in TOI does it again… and again

5. Congrags freebird  by SANAND K | സനന്ദ്’s

6. ചിത്രചോരണം – മാധ്യമം (പരിണാമം ഒന്ന്)

I sincerly thank Sajiv Vijay for notifying me of the event, Malayalikkoottam/മലയാളിക്കൂട്ടം മലയാളിക്കൂട്ടം | Malayalikkoottam members, fellow photographers and numerous bloggers who wrote about the incident & supported me.

I sincerely thank B C Jojo & Kerala Kaumudi for their openness and showing the true spirit of a media house. To be frank after dealing with numerous plagirism events, I had lost hope and I never expected such a brave and positive response from Kaumudi.

More than republishing the photograph or giving the remuneration, I would like to thank Kaumdi for the promise :
Definitely we will also be joining the crusade against this illegal usage of photos. We will soon publishing an article on this and will continue to do so.”

Also this may be first case in which a Creative Commons licensed creative work is repected by Indian Media.

I hope, This is the begining of a new Era and Haree & Jo also will get justice.

To know Haree’s story :ചിത്രചോരണം – മാധ്യമം (പരിണാമം ഒന്ന്)

To Know Jo’s story : Pranatha Books Kochi – Open Copyright Infringement

Lets Hope that this is the beginning of the end of plagiarism in India.

Free Software Activist Anivar Aravind is mishandled by police at National Conference on Free Software 2008 organized in Cochin university. The Free Software activists where protesting against the biggest enemies of Free Software, Novell who is the sponsor of the event !!!!

സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയര്‍ വക്താവായ അനിവറിനെ ദേശീയ സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയറ് കോണ്‍ഫറന്‍സില്‍ വച്ച് പോലീസ് കൈയേറ്റം ചെയ്തു. ഈ ദേശീയ സമ്മേളനത്തിന്റെ  പ്രധാന സ്പോണ്‍സര്‍  സ്വതന്ത്ര സോഫ്റ്റ്‌വെയറിന്റെ ശത്രുക്കളായ നോവല്‍ എന്ന സ്ഥാപനമായിരുന്നു. ഈ വിരോധാഭാസത്തിനെതിരെ പ്രതിക്ഷേതിച്ചതിന്‍ സംഘാടകര്‍ പോലീസിനെ വിളിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു.
More about the incident and photos are here:

Boycott Novell Protesters Man-handled at National Conference on Free Software 2008

Ignorance is not always a bliss ! The organizers of such events should be careful before accepting sponsors. Why should an MNC like Novell should sponsor such an event ? I am sure that Novell people were smiling when the organizers of the conference approached them for a sponsorship !