HBO owns Obama's inaugural concert. If you took any photos or videos you'd better destroy them now.

[Are_grits_groceries]

This land is their land.

HBO has been busy. Not only did they pick a fight with the Obama Inaugural Committee over openly-gay Bishop Gene Robinson (HBO censored Robinson's invocation, so no one will be seeing it), they've been scouring the Internet to make sure no one sees evidence of yesterday's Obama inaugural event.

Yesterday, I posted a clip of Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen singing "This Land is Your Land" at the "We Are One" Obama inaugural concert. Perhaps you've heard of the concert - it's that amazing event down on the Mall set to kick off the inauguration of our next president. But that song is HBO's song. They took down my video claiming copyright infringement. That's the spirit, HBO. You own the inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall which is is officially part of the swearing in of our next president. Nice.

I get that HBO has rights, but when they're broadcasting news -- and the concert was news -- they need to relax. It's not like I copied one of their stupid shows (and after "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City," most are pretty stupid.) And, the Presidential Inaugural Committee should have thought through the concept of letting a corporation own Obama's inaugural concert. Again, it was at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall and was an official event of the inauguration of our president. We all own that, not HBO.

http://www.americablog.com/

Now what??

[Swede Atlanta]

1. It was a funding issue

I can't remember who was being interviewed but an Obama spokesperson said that they needed to find sponsors for the various events to cover funding. So I assume HBO funded the event and as such claims exclusive rights over the show. It is too bad, however, that the Inaugural Committee didn't negotiate at least some limited public use rights. I could see it if another network placed their camera out there and decided to broadcast the entire thing or even significant portions of it. But for ordinary Americans to be denied the opportunity to share in that joy was very short-sighted.

[cynatnite]

2. Well, the clip does belong to HBO since they're the ones who took the footage...

:eyes:

[begin_within]

3. I don't get how they could own the rights to anyone else's footage of it

Say 1,000 people brought their own video cameras and took video footage of it. I don't see how copyright law could be distorted enough to make HBO own the copyright to all 1,000 of those. Certainly they own the rights to their own recording of it, but how could they possibly claim the rights to anyone else's footage of it? I do not see how that could ever hold up in court.

[booley]

14. I agree. I think they are on shaky legal ground

assuming the OP is accurate.

Exclusive rights means exclusive rights for broadcasters.

But the event was a public event on public property. They can't control any one else's footage who just happens to be there.

I would be interested if they actually did try to take anyone to court.

[NashVegas]

23. Where Does It Say They Do?

I see the assertions being made by people who seem to be ticked off, but no source for the claim that's traced to HBO. They have every right in the world to demand video taken from their feed be removed and like it or not, that makes sense.

Or do we now all insist that camera operators and logistics people work for free?

[Idealism]

4. Ahh property rights, how I despise thee!

[Poll_Blind]

5. I just assumed they laid out some pretty serious money to help bring the thing together.

 They're rebroadcasting it for free today (or at least a little while ago when I checked). I understand it sucks to have a video taken down by YouTube but given the nature of the event, and these events are hella expensive, I don't take it as a harbinger of anything serious or new.

 If HBO or some other corporation wouldn't have ponied up to pay for this event, in trade for owning the recording of it, I'm not sure how gigantic events like this would get done at all. It's not just the talent (U2, etc.) but all the other people who help facilitate it (lighting, sound, security, etc., etc.). Those people can maybe donate their time but think about the gas, the rented trucks, the rented equipment, etc.

 Again, though, I don't see it as particularly troubling any more than Farm Aid or Band Aid being sponsored by HBO or some other organization which, in return for heaps of money, retains copyright control over the rebroadcast of "all or a portion" of it.

 It's not also like this is his actual swearing in- which really is a different matter entirely and will be footed by our taxpayer funds.

PB

[lame54]

8. it's free advertisement for them and somebody else is doing the work of spreading it around...

people will be inspired to tune in to HBO after seeing this

they are cutting their own throats

[Poll_Blind]

9. But, really- are they cutting their own throats or just doing something that some will....

...disagree with but that most will shrug and accept as normal?

 I'm a big fan of people who disagree with things doing stuff about it. I just don't think that much will be, if anything. The subject will keep a few threads buoyed up for a few hours and that's it.

PB

[billybob537]

6. HBO sucks

[Warpy]

7. Direct TV turned the HBO on over the weekend

and originally said it would be on through the inauguration.

Today it's off, presumably because HBO bitched about it.

If I ever needed a reason not to purchase HBO, this would be one of the main ones. If they'd remained generous, I might have thought more about getting it for at least a few months.

I did enjoy seeing a few films I'd missed, though, so it was nice while it lasted.

[billybob537]

11. They also blacked out Gene Robinson's invocation

Stupid homophobe racist scum.

[Still Sensible]

10. C'mon people

Unless you are planning to sell your recording there isn't anything to worry about.

[Lost-in-FL]

12. Why is HBO scouring the internets to remove the video??

Because it is POSTED on their website! Nothing different that what NBC (SNL for example) does with their shows.

http://www.hbo.com/weareone/

[AndrewP]

13. They are hard core about yanking any internet videos of their boxing telecasts

I'm not saying boxing is as crucial or anything. I'm just saying this is the HBO M.O.

[dysfunctional press]

15. was it footage you yourself filmed, or was it hbo's footage...?

BIG difference.

[Maine-ah]

19. I second that question.

there's a big difference if it wasn't the OP's footage to begin with.

[Captain Hilts]

16. They finish the election with a surplus of $30m+ and have to sell this concert????

[pnorman]

17. I don't believe campaign funds can be used for such events, including the Inauguration itself.

n/t

pnorman

[Captain Hilts]

18. You know, I think you're right. nt

[pnorman]

20. It's something I had seen earlier on DU, rather an indication of expertise on my part.

It sounded about "right", so I accepted it, without Googling it any further.

pnorman

[EFerrari]

21. So now our inaugural celebration is privatized? God bless America!

[orleans]

22. i've been listening to randi on and off today

think i heard her say something to the effect that hbo owns the footage for 6 months and then it is released to obama's in. committee.

[NashVegas]

24. Are There Any FACTS Published Anywhere?

Or just assertions that come with no credited quotes from HBO officials?

I'm sure they're asking YouTube to take down videos that come from their feed, but skeptic about other video and photos.