MoveOn.org Civic Action

Right-Left Alliance Praises ABC & NBC for Liberating Presidential Debate Video

Networks join CNN in allowing video to be legally shared, blogged, excerpted, and YouTubed

CBS has not yet announced debate video policy; Fox won’t liberate video of Republican debates

Today, a right-left alliance praised ABC and NBC for joining CNN in liberating presidential debate video – allowing footage to be legally shared, blogged, excerpted, and put on sites like YouTube.

ABC announced Sunday’s Republican debate footage would be “without restrictions on use” after airing live, joining CNN who earlier this year announced the same policy. NBC announced a similar policy, beginning with last night’s AFL-CIO Democratic debate – allowing any use of debate video if attributed to MSNBC, provided the primary intent is not commercial and that candidates don’t use NBC moderators in ads.

“ABC and NBC deserve praise for leveling the playing field--allowing everyday people to share key debate moments on blogs and YouTube just like the networks choose moments to show on the air,” said Adam Green, who leads media reform and Internet freedom campaigns for MoveOn.org Civic Action. “It's good for our democracy that TV networks are removing themselves as the sole deciders of which debate moments can have a life online.”

Mike Krempasky, co-founder of RedState.com, said, “These networks are not only embracing new technology, but new communities. Their willingness to loosen the reins a bit will go a long way towards improving our politics as more and more people get involved.”

In April, a diverse alliance released letters calling for presidential debate video to be liberated. The 75 signatories included: The founders of Craiglist and Wikipedia, national women's/civil rights/veterans/labor organizations, technology experts like Lawrence Lessig and Carl Malamud, former Federal Election Commission Chair Brad Smith, progressives like MoveOn.org Civic Action and DailyKos.com, and conservatives like Redstate.com’s Michael Krempasky and columnist/blogger Michelle Malkin.

Carl Malamud, the founder of Public.Resource.Org who recently helped C-SPAN change their policies surrounding re-use of congressional footage, said today, “It is really great to see the networks beginning to take their community service role seriously again. They should be congratulated for encouraging this public use of election footage.”

CBS has not yet made a public statement about their policy, and does not have their first debate until December. Fox, which has hosted one Republican debate and is scheduled to host another in October, told USA Today that “it plans to treat the debates its airs like all its programs. In other words, it will not post the video for all to use.”

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said today, “Democracy works best when citizens are active participants in the debates. I encourage all media organizations to think about what kinds of content they could make available for re-use to allow people to get involved.”

Below are some key links.

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Press release – alliance calls on debate video to be liberated, April 25, 2007
http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/rnc-dnc-prelease.pdf

ABC announcement:
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3431763

NBC announcement:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20114724/

CNN May announcement:
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/05/cnn-presidential-debate-footage.html

Fox announcement:
http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/05/cnns_decision_t.html

Presidential candidates who embraced liberating debate video:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post_group/ObamaHQ/Cvh3
http://www.johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20070503-debate-footage/
http://www.chrisdodd.com/free_the_debate_video

Democratic debate schedule:
http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/05/dnc_announces_d_2.php

Republican debate schedule:
http://tinyurl.com/373p5r