ABC Tries To Limit How Other Networks Report On Debate; Networks Ignore ABC

from the ah,-copyright dept

About a year ago, there was a push by some to get both the Democrats and the Republicans, along with the various television networks showing any Presidential debates to agree to freely license the content of any debate afterwards for any kind of media coverage. While some agreed to this, others did not. In fact, with last week's Democratic candidate debate, it appears ABC tried to take the issue even further. It demanded that other networks show less than 30 seconds of debate clips the night after the debate. This is quite similar to the restrictions MLB and the NFL have been trying to put on reporters as well. ABC claimed that it needed to do this because it delayed the broadcast of the debate on the west coast until later in the evening. First, people on the west coast aren't stupid. They know the debate already happened. Pretending it didn't isn't going to change much. Second, it seems ridiculous that ABC time-delayed the debate in the first place. But, most importantly, restricting how others can report on a news event seems pretty pointless -- and, indeed, the other networks basically ignored ABC's demands and broadcasted as much as they wanted to of the debates.
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Filed Under: content, copyright, debates
Companies: abc


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  1. identicon
    John Duncan Yoyo, 22 Apr 2008 @ 7:42am

    Too bad for ABC the big headline from the debate was how badly ABC screwed it up.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    John Duncan Yoyo, 22 Apr 2008 @ 7:42am

    Too bad for ABC the big headline from the debate was how badly ABC screwed it up.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Apr 2008 @ 7:47am

    ABC = Absolute Bullshit Corporation

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Apr 2008 @ 7:58am

    How about ABC = Absurdly Bullyish Corporation

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Apr 2008 @ 8:04am

    I mostly agree but dislike the comparaison with the MLB and NFL. While I personnally don't agree with their tactics, professional sporting events are mostly for entertainment, and some argument can be made on how they should be reported.

    But when a political event happens, that could shape a country, and indeed maybe even the world, it would be irresponsible to give a single corporation any kind on control on how the news can and/or should be reported.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    jonnyq, 22 Apr 2008 @ 8:10am

    I don't know what time the debate started, but it may have started so early that it would have been inconvenient for the west coast to watch (i.e. lower ratings), so there's the reason for the delay.

    And of course they want to limit the coverage of the debate until after it airs on the west coast or people might just not watch (i.e. lower ratings).

    ABC wasn't trying to trick the west coast into thinking it was live.

    I agree with your premise. Obviously people that want to know about the debate can find out regardless of whatever restrictions ABC tries to put on coverage, but you seemed to miss those points.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Jake, 22 Apr 2008 @ 8:18am

    I take my hat off to anyone who could stand more than thirty seconds of it anyway.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    nipseyrussell, 22 Apr 2008 @ 8:53am

    its nothing but a disgusting disgrace that there is private ownership over any part of the process of electing the president of this company. corporate sponsorship like any other tv show? networks preventing anyone from doing anything with footage? for shame on the US.
    Additionally, WTF was that debate???? i suppose its a mixed blessing, anything to prevent that abortion of a debate from getting into the hands of other countries and further embarrassing us should be a good thing.
    all around: disgusting

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Don Wood, 22 Apr 2008 @ 9:51am

    Let's try to remember, ANYTHING that happened a few minutes or a few hours ago is news, now. I can understand simulcast restrictions because of the high fees involved but once it has occurred it is news and free for everyone to report on.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    Dirk Belligerent, 22 Apr 2008 @ 10:25am

    ABC means....

    Awwwww, Barack Cracked!

    What the Obamessiah's slavering fans need to understand is that if their favored candidate can't withstand the gentlest scrutiny about his long-term associations with racists and domestic terrorists, and can't square away his militant anti-gun, extreme pro-abortion, and Marxist economic theories and states that he doesn't care if cutting taxes raises revenue when he can't punish achievement in the name of fairness, WTF is he going to do when pressed by foreign terrorists and dictators seeking to harm America and our allies? Are they going to cry that North Korea and Iran are being meanieheads?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Haapi, 22 Apr 2008 @ 10:46am

    Re: ABC means....

    Oh, wait, I get it. Hahahahahahahaha!
    Good one.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Someone in the Land of 0's and 1's, 22 Apr 2008 @ 12:04pm

    Re:

    Well stated! bravo!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Apr 2008 @ 12:23pm

    Yeah, I agree!! We're doomed if Barack gets elected. What we need is a Super Bush x2!

    Under his excellent leadership we're all much richer, the economy is growing at record rates, all the other countries in the world love us, he's brought peace and democracy to the middle east without a single wasted American life, he has condemned all forms of torture, he's preserved America's right to privacy, everyone has health care, home ownership is booming, our schools and their funding are doing better than ever!! The list goes on and on and on....

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    LBD, 22 Apr 2008 @ 12:27pm

    Re: ABC means....

    Sarcasim, right?

    Democratic Party members don't really give a shite about socalists, right?

    Communists (who belive in violent uprising) are one thing. But Democratic Party members tend to be socialistic.

    So either you're a batshit insane republican (As batshit insane as the militant vegans) or this is a joke

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. icon
    Washii (profile), 22 Apr 2008 @ 8:38pm

    Re: Re: ABC means....

    If you don't think that Republicans aren't socialistic as well, then you aren't looking at the majority of farm areas. Most all are Republican, and quite a few of those people will support more socialistic measures.

    You know why? Quite a lot of our farmers (and some large, -profitable- corporations) are supported by socialism. But shhh. They don't want to think they're Commies and rise up in arms.

    And finally: Why do you believe Communists 'believe in violent uprising'? China and Russia don't count.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    John Duncan Yoyo, 23 Apr 2008 @ 2:00am

    Re:

    The target audience of the debate was Pennsylvania whose primary was coming up. Which is why it was scheduled so early for the left coast.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Apr 2008 @ 12:08pm

    Re: Re: Re: ABC means....

    .... Since China, Russia, Korea, Vietnam (though that's honestly never been communist just allied with china) Cuba... Do I really need to go on? Please, name a Communist (not socialistic) country that elected the officials who then totally restructured the country, and no violent uprising was involved? And read the Comunist Manifesto too. And don't just read the lines, read between the lines. Bonus points if you can read it in the native language (I can't). Good ideas some. Bad ideas others. Violent terminology throughout.

    Anyway the difference between a socialist and a Communist in my mind is a socialist wants to work within the system to make things better, and slowly move things. Communists want a new system, a specific one.

    Also, note my comment on 'batshit insane' republican. Normal republicans are somewhat socialistic... But the bat-shit insane ones are not normal republicans. most normal ones don't like talking about the batshit insane one, just like batshit insane democrats arn't really acepted by the general group.

    (For an example of a bat-shit insane democrat, I present you with someone I really know: A feminazi (women are superior to the stinky boys), Vegan, new-ageist who keeps trying to convert me to her ways, and attacks me from the left (I'm a lefty myself, but she calls me a conservative. Whatever) For an example of bat-shit insane republican... here's someone else I really know: a man who's still fighting the cold war, believes that the bible is god's literal cold hard truth, claims that the earth is only a few thousand-hundred thousand years old. Believes that all poor are poor because they're lazy, and that oppression never occurs. He's a relative of mine.)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. icon
    Washii (profile), 23 Apr 2008 @ 10:43pm

    Re: Re: Re: ABC means....

    Well...none. And no countries have actually been Communist, either.

    Communism never totally has the bat-shit "We kill all bureacrats!" The total point of communism was to split up into self-sustaining communes! Not overthrow governments.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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