Did Freeview Pull Down That Parody Ad? (UPDATED: Yes, They Did)
What started out as a funny, accurate and refreshing take on the farce that is Freeview in Australia has grown into something much uglier. UPDATED.Last week, after we showed you the parody ad by comedian Dan Ilic and Triple J presenter Marc Fennell, advertising publication Adnews reported that Freeview were considering legal action against the duo. That was quickly updated, but not before a heap of publications like Crikey, The Australian, and TechWiredAU picked up on it. Of course, when they were questioned about threatening legal action against the video’s makers, Freeview responded with a clear and concise, “No”.
So, you’d think that would be the end of it. But no. Hours after Freeview denied threatening legal action, YouTube pulled the video for allegedly violating terms of use. Asher Moses over at the SMH is convinced that the only way that could have happened is if Freeview requested YouTube to pull the clip down, while Freeview has explicitly denied any such action to Margaret Simons over at Crikey.
The end result of all of this, of course, is that a funny video that would have only lasted a few days in the eyes of the Internet has now received mainstream coverage for five days or so, amplifying the message that Freeview is a joke.
So who’s telling the truth? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter, because as any online evangelist will tell you, once something goes online, you can never take it back. The original parody, although pulled from YouTube, has shown up on several other sites, expanding its audience even further. The real question is whether Freeview is actually going to learn from the experience – my heart hopes it does, but my gut knows it won’t…
UPDATE:Turns out those bastards at Freeview did have the clip pulled down. In an email to Margaret Simons at Crikey, Google spokeman Rob Shilkin said:
I wanted to confirm that we received a DMCA notice for lawyers acting on behalf of Freeview Australia Limited to remove the video in question.
So, essentially the Freeview lawyers (and the people who pay them) are lying douchebags. Kind of makes me glad I have Foxtel, really.
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Comments
Free what?
The Streisand effect in action.
When will they learn.
@ hirsty
free-duplicates
Almost certainly a breach of DMCA process (yet again). Parody is usually protected under copyright law (as the lawyers in question well know), hard to judge given that none of us can see the parody. The lawyers in question and freeview have potentially committed a serious offense – they have possibly sworn a false oath. I would suggest the owners of the parody make a formal complaint to the Law Council for professional misconduct against the firm and contact the Australian communications authority and the Minister about freeview.
streisand effect FTW – i hadn’t seen this before, so i watched it and lol’d. it’s all true too.
http://www.thestreisandeffect.com/
It’s back on Youtube,poor old Freeview the truth really does
hurt.For a comparison checkout freeview.co.uk
“threatening legal action against the video’s makers” and requesting the removal of content from a third party that violates your copyrights are two very different courses of action.
Regards
Peter Gillespie
How true is this! The only thing i watch on commercial tv is 2.5 men. more crap coming.