Douglas H. McCorkindale ’64 was a partner in a large Wall Street firm when he was approached in 1971 by a small newspaper company called Gannett to head its acquisition program and become general counsel.
Gannett Company’s revenue has grown from $160 million to $7 billion during his tenure. Now the nation’s largest newspaper chain, the company publishes 99 dailies, including USA Today, and operates a broadcasting division, among other enterprises.
Protecting Gannett’s intellectual property is “a full-time process,” says Mr. McCorkindale, now chairman, president, and CEO. USA Today is a frequent target for copyright theft, especially outside the United States, he adds.
While Mr. McCorkindale believes the print medium is here to stay, he questions the long-term viability of a predominantly free Internet. “The traditional media side is paying the bill for the information. If they can’t continue to afford to do that, the Internet won’t be free.” Of Gannett’s 85-plus Web sites, only 25 or 26 are currently profitable, he says.
Mark C. Morril '72 came to Simon & Schuster, and later Viacom International, after a career in commercial litigation.
Now vice president and deputy general counsel, Mr. Morril says he was drawn to Viacom because of its “incredible portfolio of media businesses. In any single day, I am likely to be involved in issues for one or all of MTV, Showtime, Simon & Schuster, CBS, Paramount, or Blockbuster.”
The challenges in the digital age, Mr. Morril says, include educating the public about the importance of copyright and the incentive it provides for the production of creative works. It will also be important to enforce territorial restrictions on copyrights and deal with countries that “protect copyright outlaws.”
“We must also reconcile the rights of copyright owners in connection with new devices such as digital personal video recorders and new uses such as interactive television,” he says. “All of these things bring new opportunities to rights holders, but can at times be threatening.”
