Who owns the copyright to content on Southampton Wire?
All content published on Southampton Wire (southamptonwire.co.uk) is owned by or licensed to Sliema Media Limited (Malta Business Registry C 84217), the publisher of this site. This includes every article, photograph, video, graphic, data visualisation and audio file produced by our editorial team. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution or modification of our content without prior written permission may breach copyright law. For details on how we handle rights and reuse requests, please see our terms of use.
Our editorial team — led by Editor-in-Chief William Ashby, Managing Editor Sarah Mills and our named writers — creates original work that is protected under UK and international copyright legislation. We also license third-party materials (such as images from agencies or reader submissions) and honour the rights of their original creators. If you wish to republish an article or use any element of our site, you must contact us at copyright@southamptonwire.co.uk to obtain explicit authorisation.
How does copyright protection work for our content?
Copyright protection applies automatically to all original content we publish, including news articles, photographs, video, graphics and data visualisations. You do not need to register a work to hold copyright in it under UK law. Our content is published under our full legal name — Sliema Media Limited — and our editorial team takes intellectual property seriously. Any use of our material beyond fair dealing (such as criticism, review or news reporting) requires our consent.
Fair dealing exceptions allow limited use of copyrighted material for purposes such as private study, non-commercial research or quotation in a review, provided the use is fair and the source is credited. However, copying entire articles, republishing full stories on another website, or using our images without a license is likely to infringe our rights. If you are unsure whether your intended use qualifies, please contact our editorial team for guidance. We are happy to discuss syndication, licensing or partnership arrangements through our commercial partnerships channel.
What should you do if you believe your copyright has been infringed?
If you believe that material published on Southampton Wire infringes your copyright, please send a written takedown notice to our designated copyright agent at copyright@southamptonwire.co.uk. We take all copyright complaints seriously and will investigate promptly. Your notice will be reviewed by Diane Forbes, our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, in coordination with William Ashby, our Editor-in-Chief. We aim to acknowledge receipt within two business days.
We understand that copyright issues can be time-sensitive. Once we receive a complete notice, we will assess the claim, remove or disable access to the disputed material if appropriate, and notify the relevant party. In some cases we may request additional information to verify your ownership or authority. If you are unsure about your rights, we recommend consulting a legal professional before submitting a notice. For broader concerns about our content, you can also use our complaints procedure.
What information should a takedown notice include?
To help us process your request quickly and accurately, your takedown notice should include several specific pieces of information. A complete notice helps us avoid delays and ensures we can act on your claim without unnecessary back-and-forth. Please include all of the following elements when writing to copyright@southamptonwire.co.uk.
- Your full name, postal address, telephone number and email address so we can contact you about the claim.
- A clear description of the copyrighted work you believe has been infringed, including any registration number or publication details.
- The exact URL(s) of the material on our site that you claim is infringing. If multiple pages are involved, provide a list.
- A statement explaining how the material infringes your copyright — for example, that it reproduces your work without permission.
- A declaration that you are the rights owner or authorised to act on behalf of the owner, made in good faith.
- Your electronic or physical signature.
What you can expect from us
Upon receiving a valid takedown notice, we will acknowledge it promptly and begin our review. Our editorial team, led by Diane Forbes and William Ashby, will assess the claim and take appropriate action — which may include removing the material, disabling access, or contacting you for clarification. We aim to resolve all legitimate copyright complaints within five to ten business days.
If we remove content in response to a takedown notice, we will notify the party who posted it and provide them with an opportunity to submit a counter-notice if they believe the removal was in error. We will not penalise users or contributors for good-faith mistakes. Our process is designed to be fair to both copyright holders and our contributors, and we follow the principles set out in our editorial policy and fact-checking policy. In cases where the claim is unclear or disputed, we may seek legal advice before making a final decision.
How do we handle repeat infringers?
In accordance with our terms of use, we maintain a policy of terminating accounts of repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances. Repeat infringement may result in a permanent ban from contributing to our site, removal of all associated content, and referral to relevant authorities if warranted. We keep a confidential record of all takedown notices and the actions taken.
We define a repeat infringer as any individual or organisation that has been the subject of more than two valid copyright complaints within a twelve-month period, or whose conduct demonstrates a pattern of deliberate infringement. Before taking any action, we will review the evidence and give the party an opportunity to respond. Our policy is applied consistently regardless of the nature of the content or the identity of the contributor. If you believe you have been incorrectly labelled as a repeat infringer, please contact us at copyright@southamptonwire.co.uk and we will review your case. Further details can be found in our terms of use and privacy policy.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about this copyright and takedown policy, or if you need assistance submitting a notice, please get in touch. You can reach our copyright team at copyright@southamptonwire.co.uk or write to our registered office: Level 3, Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar, Birkirkara BKR 4013, Malta. For general editorial enquiries, contact our UK editorial line on +44 20 4587 9485 or email info@southamptonwire.co.uk. We are committed to resolving copyright issues fairly and transparently, and we value the trust of our readers, contributors and partners. Additional policies, including our copyright and takedown policy, AI and automation policy and sponsored content policy, are always available on our site.