The Trouble With YouTube

By: Hillary Profita
Topics: Mega-Media Trends

(AP Photo/Fox News Sunday, M.Simon)

There have been plenty of stories out there telling us about

how YouTube

is changing the face of American politics. And now, more and more, we are seeing stories about how YouTube is changing television news. Dedicated PE readers will note our continued documentation of CBS' own storied relationship with the video-sharing site. Most of those conflicts deal with the copyright issues that inevitably arise when YouTube posts CBS News material.

It's becoming a hot-button issue – and, like all great American hot-button issues, now the lawyers want in. When Fox News' ever-popular interview with former President Bill Clinton hit YouTube, the Wall Street Journal's Law Blog wondered what was up: "Did you see Chris Wallace's interview with Bill Clinton? If not, you can watch it here, thanks to YouTube. But wait a minute, doesn't Fox News own a copyright on this content? Is the video-sharing site breaking the law?"

Actually, that's pretty much what Fox News thought when they contacted YouTube and requested that the clips be removed from the site. Ever the dispenser of new media wisdom, BuzzMachiner Jeff Jarvis concluded that was an idiot move: "Fools. They would be getting a whole new audience. They'd be even more part of the conversation."

Well, apparently Fox News agreed with that too, because the following day, the clips reappeared on YouTube. Fox News told digital news site dmwmedia (via TVNewser) that the move was a mistake.

"In an official statement, Fox News claims that their Internet division used 'poor judgment' when going after YouTubers. Strategically, Fox News recognizes that the clips are of great PR value and that the company is 'thrilled' that the interview received so much publicity.

So is YouTube going the way of Napster? As far as news networks are concerned, not just yet.

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by bmcgin September 28, 2006 8:09 PM EDT: Regarding the Public's right to the Fair Use of copyrighted material - in particular, to the rights of the Publiic to post and view the Fox-owned video of the Clinton-Wallace interview -
I believe that the Copyright Laws permit these things under the "Fair Use" provisions of United States Code 17:107 as shown at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/ts_search.pl?title=17&sec=107 because of the need for "Criticism and Comment" on important issues, in the Public Interest.

For details, please see my article published at http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_rev__bil_060926_fox_news_network_for.htm and at http://www.patriot.net/users/bmcgin/chickenhawkfoxnews.html

Rev. Bill McGinnis (William McGinnis); Reply to this comment