HBO Removes Pete Seeger / Bruce Springsteen “This Land Is Your Land” YouTube Video
The Constable on January 19th, 2009
On Sunday, January 18, 2009 Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen performed at one of the Inaugaration celebration concerts - specifically at Lincoln Park. A video of their duet performance of “This Land Is Your Land” was, of course, posted on YouTube. It has since been removed at the request of HBO.
I’d link to the video, but obviously it’s no longer available. You can see one single shot though in the embed here.
What I find most interesting about this, however, is the fact that YouTube lists exactly who requested the video be removed. Obviously this is not a new practice, but it is worth taking note of the fact that YouTube is trying to lay the blame for the lack of a video where the blame is due, thereby easily deflecting the blame from themselves as well as making sure YouTube doesn’t get any negative response from their take-downs.
UPDATED AT 7:30 CST:
The video now appears to be available at YouTube. Looks like HBO has lifted their ban.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
I think it is disgusting and very unObama that HBO (or any other channel) had the exclusive of the show. In many countries, HBO isn’t an open cable channel (it isn’t part of the standard package and has to be paid as an extra). What was the deal? HBO paid some inauguration expenses? It should be a pool of all stations.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
It’s lots of fun to see who requested YouTube takedowns. I actually noted this in one of my articles a couple days ago; of course, it’s odd that Warner Music Group issued a takedown notice for my video, since it used a Universal-owned song. Maybe the giant evil corporations are looking out for each other.
January 19th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
[...] HBO Removes Pete Seeger / Bruce Springsteen “This Land Is Your Land” YouTube Video | IP Thieves ………. [...]
January 19th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
it’s funny to see the MISinformation about this.
Yes, HBO paid for the rights to the show. That’s what FUNDS the show. You don’t think U2, Springsteen, etc, worked for free do you?
Or the security? Or sound guys?
ALL of the inauguration balls have corporate sponsors and funders, and yes, like the Olympic sponsors, that gives them certain rights.
Like, don’t steal what they paid to produce. If you want to see the We Are One vids, you don’t need to go to YouTube, you can go to http://www.hbo.com/weareone/ and watch it to your hearts content.
btw–the inauguration parties/balls have ALWAYS been sponsored (with a few extraordinary exceptions), going back to Washington’s inauguration.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
There’s no misinformation in the article. It’s just the facts of what happened. Thank you for posting the link to HBO though.
January 19th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
So giving them the benefit of the doubt, HBO is just trying to control access, AND get the clicks/eyeball counts on *their* site… which is understandable.
I propose an improvement to Youtube labeling *who* requested the takedown notice, by giving the requester the ability to also embedding a short message (maybe 140 bytes a la twitter), saying something like:
Removed at the request of the copyright holder, please see: http://www.hbo.com/weareone for more information.
Then we all get what we want, except maybe youtube, but think of the goodwill they can build with people like HBO if they offer them this alternative.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:16 am
Mark, you are sure finding your way to all the sites. I have but one thing to say,
“Just because you have the right, doesn’t make it right.”
Think about it for a while.
January 24th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
“a sign said private property on the other side it didn’t say nothing. That sign was made for you and me.”