GE/NBC Blocking Use of Bush TV Footage

GE/NBC pro-Bush, and they don't care who knows it.
This is unbelievable.

http://www.buzzflash.com/alerts/04/05/ale04006.html

'Unofficially, We Don’t Think It Makes the President Look Good'

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

NBC is using its copyright protection to deny an award-winning filmmaker access to film of a recent appearance by President Bush on "Meet the Press," possibly because the network is trying to protect the President politically, a Stanford Law professor said today.

especially given it's in the context of the president of the united states addressing the american people.

reports of the salacious nature of the Starr report - or even coverage of the more ridiculous charges against Clinton from the Arkansas Project. Here - they are talking about an actual presidential appearance - showing bush as he appeared on national television... they need to protect the president's image by censoring... the president's own appearance?

I'm no attorney, nor do I play one on TV. Considering the airwaves are public property, I don't see how they can make footage inaccessible. They can copyright it, certainly, but locking it up? What the hell?

Get ready for the upcoming dose of Two Minutes' Hate. :P

RV

I don't know if they do it on the news, but I know with sporting events, they always run the disclaimer that the contents are solely for use by (NFL, MLB, or NBA, etc) and the network they are on and use is by permission only.

I'm no lawyer, either.

They so rarely risk exposure this way. (GE is a major weapons manufacturer)

Make sure everyone you know sees this!

I always have to post this cartoon on NBC censorship threads...this is the real reason they censor...they make less money off nuclear bombs if their warmongering president loses:

http://www.demandmedia.net/story/2003/6/30/95648/2568

One of the BEST toons about this subject EVER.

I think I'll add that url to my sig line! :)

It's astounding this ever made it on the air to begin with!

MTP@NBC.com

(copy to CNN)
The story below is spreading around the internet like wildfire. I guess I could say that at least GE/NBC is more-or-less up front about it. Unofficially, I don't think it makes GE look good.
Want to re-think your position on this?

"NBC is using its copyright protection to deny an award-winning filmmaker access to film of a recent appearance by President Bush on "Meet the Press," possibly because the network is trying to protect the President politically, a Stanford Law professor said today.

In preparing the extended version of the film, Greenwald wanted to include a one-minute clip from NBC’s "Meet the Press" interview," Lessig told the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. "Greenwald was denied permission. The agent informing Greenwald’s agent of the decision stated, "Unofficially, we don’t think it makes the President look good."

Bush appeared poorly prepared and uncertain in his responses to Russert’s questions about the war, which now has claimed more than 750 American lives, and was widely criticized in the media. But NBC refused to allow any of the footage to be released and thus, said Lessig, put anyone using excerpts from the show under the "fair use" doctrine at legal risk."

:thumbsup:

Public relations disaster working here. I'm sending
an email as well.

they can still quote him directly and show how NBC is being anti-democracy and anti-free speech by doing this.

Could be good publicity, too