And The Award For The Most Complete Misunderstanding Of Internet Video Goes To... The Motion Picture Academy

from the way-to-go!! dept

Wed, Feb 28th 2007 12:13pm — Mike Masnick

The buzz today is about the Motion Picture Academy's decision to have YouTube yank all the uploaded videos from the Oscars. However, unlike Viacom, who at least seemed to have a plan behind its decision to pull clips from YouTube, the Motion Picture Academy seems to be doing it for either spite or stupidity. Ric Robertson, exec administrator for the Academy, gave one of the most bizarre explanations. It's got nothing to do with money, apparently as he said it's "really not about (protecting that) business opportunity." Even though the Oscars have their own website with clips, Robertson says he plans to even yank down their own clips. Apparently, it's all an effort to "whet people's appetite for next year's show." Yes, apparently the Motion Picture Academy believes that the best way to get people interested in next year's Oscars is to... remove all evidence of this year's Oscars. Back at the Tech Policy Summit earlier this week, David Garfield of the MPAA insisted that movie studio execs weren't as stupid as everyone made them out to be -- but with stories like this, it's not hard to see where that reputation comes from.

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26 Comments

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James, 28 Feb 2007 @ 12:48pm

OMFG
They must be smokin' crack, and I thought a republican congress could be this retarded.
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James, 28 Feb 2007 @ 12:50pm

OMFG part II
*They must be smokin' crack, and I thought ONLY a republican congress could be this retarded.
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misanthropic humanist, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:02pm

He's as mad a box of frogs
I can only offer ad hominem comment here. Surely the only point here is the mental state of Mr Ric Robertson. I would suggest that he has issues that would best be dealt with professionally. However, if as the owner of the video of this event, he sincerely believes that burying it is the best way to promote it, then he has every right to act like a churlish teenager.

I see and hear about a lot of behaviour these days that reminds me of the cartoon character "Spoilt Bastard"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoilt_Bastard

People in public life increasingly display quite serious entitlement and control issues. Fortunately, unless they are people like Bush who have control of military resources they only succeed in making harmless pricks of themselves. But we should not glorify mental illness, this is not an accptable way to behave however you justify it and we should call these people for what they are, the appropriate technical/clinical term I believe is "fucking loony".
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ScaredOfTheMan, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:03pm

Genius Pure Genius.... Since I can't watch clips of silly self absorbed speeches and awards that really don't mean that much on Youtube, I am running around the house naked singing West Side story Songs.... I can't wait for next year!!

Damn you Ric Robenson...Damn you for addicting me to your artifical ceremonies that no one watches. What ever will I do now?

On another note, I predict the Oscars will go the route of Miss America and Miss Universe in the coming years... Stays on TV even though no one watches it anymore.
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Overcast, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:06pm

Good, even less of a chance I might happen across that boring drivel.

Believe me, I'll shed no tears at never see the Oscars or Grammys again in my life, it's just a big orgy of them all caressing each others ego's and trying to be politically correct.

I had heard it was a 'green' oscars... I wonder how 'green' the street outside was with all those V8+ limo engines waiting on the 'stars'.

lol
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Casper, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:09pm

Wow. Well kids, drugs will do that to you. Maybe it's some kind of reverse advertising theory? You know, if no one ever hears about the product it will become more popular?!?

These people are getting dumber by the day… or else the people pulling the strings have some kind of master plan we can’t see.
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KevinG79, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:14pm

idiots: they walk among us...
Here's to another totally idiotic move by the MPAA. Nice job, dumbshits. I sure as hell didn't watch their stupid awards show and this little stunt is just going to make me 500% more likely NOT to watch them next year...

friggen morons...
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prmths, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:14pm

it's all ok
the more dumb things a group does,.. the more people see it.. and they no longer subscribe to their dogma. it's fine with me .. let them be the instrument of their own destruction. theories of capitalism apply to everything.. even stupidity of huge self-righteous groups..
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Mike C., 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:21pm

You mean I missed it...?
Wait, you mean to tell me the Oscars were awarded recently? And that it was shown on TV? And I missed it?

Awwwwwwwwwwww.....GREAT!

In all seriousness, I saw that they were on, visited my favorite movie site (IMDB), saw that they were prepared to post the results and decided to pass on 3 hours of useless speeches in exchange for some family time with my wife and kids (a couple rousing games of Sorry! and Trouble!).

Keep up the good work Ric. Help these silly "pat yourself on the back" shows fade into oblivion. My family thanks you for it.
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Reminising on Elementary school Hijinx, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:24pm

A candid conversation with Ric Robertson...
It's little Ricky Robinson! Where have you been?

Man, I remember when we were all playing soccer in elementary school, and we were using your ball, Ric.. What good times. But why did you get so upset that you decided to take the ball away? Didn't you know we all just wanted to have a good time?
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Middle age american man, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:39pm

AHHA hAhahah hahhaahhahaHAHAH
They actually think normal people watch that crap.
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stan, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:54pm

Gotta love it...
In keeping with the tone of the previous posts but with less irony and more accuracy... this guy deserves a leadership post in Al-Qaeda or at the very least Castro's administration. His views probably aren't extreme enough to get him into the Mikey Moore looney wing of the DNC... but give him time!!!
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a, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:54pm

Get real and get a clue
"On another note, I predict the Oscars will go the route of Miss America and Miss Universe in the coming years... Stays on TV even though no one watches it anymore."

You do realize that the Oscars is the second highest rated show in the world, right? You do realize that only the Super Bowl attracts more viewers, right?
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bored, 28 Feb 2007 @ 1:56pm

Billy Crystal. No advertising needed.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Feb 2007 @ 2:02pm

Re: Get real and get a clue
A good point which goes to show just how pathetic so many people are. Both the superbowl and the oscars suck bollocks.
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Pooper Scooper, 28 Feb 2007 @ 2:05pm

Scooper De Pooper
This guy needs as much a reality check as this new concept being taught in school! Schools outlaw Legos!
http://www.tcsdaily.com/printArticle.aspx?ID=022107C
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Dosquatch, 28 Feb 2007 @ 2:55pm

In good company
I was going to say that I quit caring about the Oscars years ago, and even if the clips were left up I probably still wouldn't care about next year's... but it appears that I am far from alone. Huzzah, brothers and sisters!

Actually, this isn't completely true. I certainly don't watch the show, or care for the most part, but I do hope for the people who deserve to be awarded for their talents. Congrats, Scorsese, on your win. It has been long overdue.
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Bob, 28 Feb 2007 @ 3:35pm

It shouldnt matter if the clips are online or not. Nobody even watches these stupid awards shows anyway. Best Picture should go to the movie that made the most money since it made the most money it must be the best. These award shows are nothing but biased marketing tools to get people to watch movies that Hollywood thinks we should like. Ever wonder why a horror or action movie NEVER wins an award unless its in some obscure category.
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STJ, 28 Feb 2007 @ 3:48pm

They aren't as stupid as you think. They have to remove all evidence of this year's awards, that way people will forget and believe next year that it actually a good show to watch.
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srgtick, 28 Feb 2007 @ 4:14pm

Gotta love it... by stan on Feb 28th, 2007 @ 1:54pm

In keeping with the tone of the previous posts but with less irony and more accuracy... this guy deserves a leadership post in Al-Qaeda or at the very least Castro's administration. His views probably aren't extreme enough to get him into the Mikey Moore looney wing of the DNC... but give him time!!!

Keep on riding that train down the toilet psycho.
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Search Engines Web, 28 Feb 2007 @ 8:23pm

THEY ARE STILL ON THE TEMP INTERNET FILES OF MILL
DID YOU WATCH A YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE OSCARS - THEY ARE STILL ON YOUR TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES

They are usually FLV files - (do a sort by day and filetype)

---> Then copy and paste each to a different directory where they will be permanently stored

---> Then use any of the several online convertors to change them into Quicktime, Windows media or SWF files - and you will enjoy them at your will for years (plus they load and play faster) :-)
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ScaredofTheMan, 1 Mar 2007 @ 6:14am

Re: Get real and get a clue
Lets put it in Context here sunshine.

"If the estimates hold, Sunday's ABC telecast, featuring a Best Picture win for The Departed, will go down as one of only seven ceremonies since 1974 to not average at least 40 million viewers. In the scheme of things, it was neither a 2003 disaster (33 million viewers), nor a Titanic-powered 1998 triumph (55.2 million). It was more like a slightly undersized 1977, when Rocky's upset Best Picture win was witnessed, on average, by 39.7 million."

So it was mediocre at best...incredible boring at worse.

The Oscars might have been something special back in the 50s-90s but this 2007, we want 3 minute youtube clips not 4 hours of brain drain.

I stand by my comment...they are going to simply continue to lose viewers until the actually telecast falls into Miss. America obscurity
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a, 1 Mar 2007 @ 8:23am

So it was mediocre at best...incredible boring at
Go ahead and stand by your thoughts, but name one show besides the Super Bowl will have higher ratings in the US?

Name one show that charges over a million dollars for a 30 second commercial?

I myself would never watch the show itself, but just because I don't enjoy it (or it seems most people here either) doesn't mean that you can assume it is failing. In terms of trends and styles, most people on the net forget the saying "Will it play in Peoria". Guess what, you may not think much of flyover country, but it is still there and still is the majority of this fine nation.
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Bill Smith, 1 Mar 2007 @ 10:22am

Just goes to show you!
Well, what do you expect. These are the same people who killed two of the best TV shows out there. I refer to StarTrek in the 60's( suprize 40 years later it's comming back) and Stargate SG1. What if people were really into watching this self absorberd rubish. Where are we to get our daily dose of narcicisim?
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JJ, 1 Mar 2007 @ 2:27pm

If they dont want youtube to show their clips, then they have every right not to allow youtube to show their clips. I believe that the only way they make money is by selling the clips to news agencies.

That being said, I have no interest in these or most award shows. Not only are they boring and drawn out, but they are often inaccurate.

I do have an idea for an improvement. Show the afterparties instead. I would rather watch celebrities get plastered and grope each other.
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Cynthia Gould, 16 Mar 2007 @ 8:27pm

Ric Robertson is just the mouthpiece of Bruce Davis, Executive Director, who is the one to investigate...
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