NFL Thinks It Gets To Decide How Long Is Fair Use For Video Clips
from the you-don't-get-to-decide dept
Sports leagues are amazing in their ability to try to over protect the content that should be delivering them additional fans. We've recently covered Major League Baseball's continued attempt to convince judges that it can own facts, while various soccer leagues have been suing YouTube for helping attract more fans to the sport. The National Football League is stepping out to its own levels of ridiculousness lately as well. In the past, we've covered the NFL's demand that news organizations only use official video footage of games (wondering if they'll ban cameraphones as well) and also its anger over churches showing the Super Bowl on a big screen without paying up. Then, of course, the NFL has been overly aggressive in bullying anyone who uses the name of the Super Bowl for anything, and recently tried to trademark "the Big Game" as well, after many advertisers started using that phrase to avoid running afoul of NFL lawyers over the Super Bowl. The NFL also abused the DMCA in demanding a law professor take down a clip on YouTube that was clearly fair use and which (amusingly) was being used to show how the NFL asserted certain rights it didn't actually have.The latest is that the NFL has now expanded its rule for media companies. Not only must they only use officially provided NFL footage rather than their own cameras, they can only display 45-seconds of game time or players on their own websites -- and if they use any footage at all, it needs to contain a link back to the NFL site. While it's true that the NFL can set conditions for providing media outlets access to a game, they simply cannot dictate how a media organization reports the news. The restrictions say that media organizations can show as much of their own reporters standing in front of a camera as long as (yes, it gets this ridiculous) no NFL players are seen in the background. If the media interviews a player (or players) on its own, it can't include more than 45 total seconds of video coverage. The NFL admits that it's only doing this because it thinks it will get more money from having more people visit its own sites that will host more video clips. This is incredibly short-sighted, of course. The goal of the NFL should be to keep getting more fans, and then there are plenty of ways to make money off those fans without dictating how and where they can see video clips. In the meantime, it's about time that news organizations stood up to the NFL and said that they're going to report the news however they see fit, without restrictions from the league. They might also want to point out that the NFL doesn't get to decide what's "fair use" for their videos. News reporting is a fair use exception, so news organizations should be free to make use of whatever amount of the video they feel is appropriate for reporting on a story, without artificially made up limitations from the league. And, for video created by the organizations themselves, the media should be able to use as much of it as they want.
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NFL Blackout
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Re: NFL Blackout
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I watch something else.
F' Them, I'll watch College games.
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Worst racing = drag racing, only real skill is reaction time.
Second worst = any oval track racing, only real skill is maintaining control when pushing an opponent into the wall.
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The sooner they all dissappear the better
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Re: The sooner they all dissappear the better
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Re: The sooner they all dissappear the better
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Re:
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restricted content
...Like ALLEGED drug-smuggling, dog-fighting, cock-fighting, weapons charges, domestic abuse, and general disorderly conduct?
...seems they have other issues they should focus on...
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Another limitation
It's not exactly clear what the NFL proposes to do if and when any Web site (or news gathering organization) violates their little policy, but presumably they will be pulling credentials. While "legal experts" say there is nothing wrong with this policy, acting on the policy may run afoul of public forum issues.
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NASCAR is a skill game
Saying Nascar (turning left) takes no skill is just like saying pro baseball players just play catch. It shows you really don;t know anything.
If you do not enjoy Nascar or Motor racing that's fine but to base your dislike on pure ignorance and bias shows what a little puny man you actually are.
Sad little losers, get a life already....
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Re: NASCAR is a skill game
One could successfully argue that the one needing a life, ie the one being a sad loser, is the one who gets upset about what some other anonymous online person thinks of his favorite sport, especially if all this results in is said person starting some name calling.
and personally, I think Nascar is as much just turning left as I think "pro baseball players just play catch": I think both are like shooting fish in a barrel
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Better Watching Anyways
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Better Watching Anyways
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I wonder how...
The NFL can control how clips and info about the games are show all they want. But it looks like someone needs to remind them that the tv stations and web sites control IF those clips and info are shown at all.
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Pro Sports
MLB died for me a few years ago with the mid-season strike. If the players and owners didn't care enouhg to keep up the pretenses about loving the game, why should I eve care again? NFL is becoming more overrun by thugs and goons, not to mention the drugs. NBA is even more glaring, plus the egos are more visible, and I find the game boring compared to college.
The NCAA is no better though -- restrictions are even more strict and obtuse. They just are more subtle about enforcing their rules.
Screw 'em all and go fishing (not watching somebody else fish either)
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SUPER-BOWL
Now I'm gonna get sued for using the word. They are two words NFL freekazoids and can be used in what ever way one wants to use them.
Go to their website to view their stuff. Hell, I'll go there to steal it and post it anywhere I want. Even my own website. But then why waste my time and effort. NFL ...who... College Football is the real way to go. PRO's, not in my book, Just a bunch of overpaid pansy ass backdoor lovin jerks. Complete losers.
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Sports in general...
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Also, NFL players are not over paid, in fact, they are extremely underpaid because of the cap. They make their teams and the NFL A LOT more money than they get paid. Let's take Payton Manning as an example. I don't like the guy (he becomes such a baby, pointing fingers at everyone but himself whenever plays aren't being made), but I have to admit he is an exceptional player. His salery in 2006 was $17.8 million. When the Colts began excelling because of Payton Manning, they were bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars more than before Payton Manning, yet, because of the salery cap, they only compensate him $17.8 million. He is underpaid because if he leaves the Colts, the Colts save $17.8 million, but lose hundreds of millions of dollars.
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Re: Outside the box ????
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This is all so so dumb.
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Well just maybe
games the scores etc... and explain that "do to the NFL's restrictions we can no longer bring you the scores or for that matter any news concerning the NFL in General." -I know a pipe dream-
Look, the only people that have any leverage over these types of tactics are the ones that open their wallets and support them.
Maybe if the fans just didn't buy, purchase, support in anyway shape or form, a message would be sent. Let them hemorrhage Money for a change rather than make ridiculously outrageous demands of the ones that are supporting them . This also works for any corporation that steps out of the moral norm.(RIAA, MPAA, Mobile,exon *.gov etc...).
People need to learn that the only thing that "these types" understand is how much money is flowing into the coffers
~puts soap box down- goes back to commune
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NFL
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