BNN: silencing Canada copyright debate?
p2pnet news view Freedom | P2P:- Is BNN Trying To Silence Copyright Debate? – wonders the Canadian Coalition for Electronic Rights.
As Michael Geist points out, the CCER, “has a post on how the Business News Network appears to have selectively issued notice and takedown notifications on segments involving debate on Canadian copyright”.
“Over a year ago, following the introduction of Bill C-61 we posted two videos to YouTube relating to Canadian copyright reform,” says the CCER.
“These videos originally aired on the Business News Network formerly Report on Business TV,” it states, continuing (our paragraph breaks) »»»
One video featured Canadian copyright scholar/expert Howard Knopf squaring off against Stevan Mitchell of the Entertainment Software Association (Howard Knopf Coming To The Defense Of Canadian Consumers – YouTube).
The second video featured professor Jeremy de Beer sparring with CRIA lobbyist, Barry Sookman over the implications of Bill C-61 (Jeremy de Beer & Barry Sookman On Bill C-61 – YouTube). On June 22, 2009 YouTube notified us that these videos had been removed citing a copyright complaint from The Business News Network. One of the notifications from YouTube:
We have received copyright complaint(s) regarding material you posted, as follows:
* from Business News Network about Howard Knopf Coming To The Defense Of Canadian Consumers
Video ID: YFFdSJ1R9ZE
Just a few days prior to our videos being pulled Jesse Hirsh tweeted that YouTube had just pulled one of his videos. A BNN clip which had Jesse taking on a CRIA representative (Jesse Hirsh on RoBTV Regarding BitTorrent – YouTube). What was happening?
Was BNN demanding every clip posted on YouTube be taken down or were they targeting clips relating to Canadian copyright reform only? A quick search of YouTube would indicate the latter.
It has been one week since the takedown of three important clips relating to Canadian copyright reform and YouTube still has dozens of live BNN & ROBTV videos (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here).
Given the above evidence one can only assume that The Business News Network’s intended goal is to silence the debate surrounding Canadian copyright reform by suppressing the rebroadcast of clips which may be unfavourable for industry lobby groups.
This also leads one to ask if BNN is acting at the request of a third party or at its own discretion.
Since it is not evident that BNN is removing ALL of their content from YouTube and since we believe the clips we posted are part of a very important discussion we have reposted the videos:
Stay tuned.
(Cheers, Marc)
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
July, 2009
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July 1st, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Ive seen a lot of copyright videos from Canada but this was a new viewing to me. Thank you to the people who took the time to reupload it.
Howard Knopf and Jeremy de Beer you are vital assets to Canada.
Jon, I notice you always leave this quote at the bottom of your articles:
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi”
Hi Lando: Not always.
Anyway, I deleted your slur against Gandhi because true or not, it has nothing to do with the statement which, IMHO, holds, whoever said it.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Thank you for being fair /\
July 1st, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Amazing, Howard came up with all kinds of reasons why our laws are good but were completely ignored. Another paid media outlet to lead the public the wrong way.
I wish people were smarter but they are not and are nothing more than sheep. Most will believe that stun %^$& because she is the media.
July 1st, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Letter Sent to BNN
“Just curious how much you are being paid by American corporations to not only have your copy right debates taken down from you tube but also how much did the ignorant Amanda Lang get paid for her retarded comments? She would not want a back up copy, yeah she wants to buy everything over and over. Stupid corporate trolls.
Howard Knopf and Jeremy de Beer not to mention many others are right that our copy right laws work to protect consumers from big corporations who want to rob and steal from consumers.
Do a report on how if you buy software, games, music etc and the fact you cannot return it whether it does not work or if you don’t like it. No you wouldn’t want to do that because the corporations that paid you off would stop the payments.
As far as I am concerned consumers do not have enough rights now and BNN is whoring themselves out with no regards for any consumer. I hope you make millions off the American corporations, BNN deserves it for lying to the public and not reporting the truth.”
July 1st, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I’d like to hear more about this one. Any other links/info on this?
July 1st, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Can’t post links?
Check zeropaid and follow link to Canadian coalition.
July 1st, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Sorry – Akismet doesn’t like 2 or more links.
Cheers!
July 1st, 2009 at 10:13 pm
why would I have to check zp? I did and they have like one or two links regurgitated from the same source. Nothing much added there.
More links/info found here in this article than from anywhere else I could find.
No insult intended to anyone/anything.
TY for the article, Jon, and all the great ref’s.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:47 am
You don’t have to check anything or any site, it was not an order. Sorry I inconvenienced you so much.
Let me just run around searching for more information for you because I have nothing better to do with my life than find links you would enjoy.
July 10th, 2009 at 12:17 am
you guys posted this AFTER CCER updated their original post to say that BNN had provided them with clear evidence that they were taking all copyright infringing clips off youtube, and NOT censoring any debates. So – BNN was not trying to silence anything.
you want more sources on this, check out Howard Knopf’s blog as well as Jesse Hirsh’s. And CBC.ca.
July 27th, 2009 at 2:21 am
Oops, I guess BNN censored the videos again. When I click on the videos, it says they have been removed due to copyright infringement. looooool. fuck BNN and the greedy corporations behind them