Copyright, basically, is the right to copy. For example, only the author of a creative work (the copyright owner) has the right to produce, reproduce, publish, distribute, broadcast his work or any part of it, and authorise anyone else to do so.

It is formally described as an intellectual property right, consisting of a group of different rights that a creator has in the creations of his intellect. Some of these rights, known as economic rights, can be separately transferred, assigned, sold or licensed to others.

The Copyright Act provides that the author of a work is the “first owner” of the copyright in a work unless there is an agreement to the contrary.

The first owner may transfer, assign, or license his economic rights to someone else.