Sunday, May 20, 2007

POLITICS


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PRESSURE FOR FREE USE OF DEBATE VIDEOS
AMY SCHATZ, WALL STREET JOURNAL - There aren't that many issues that
might prompt leading conservative bloggers and a host of special
interest groups including MoveOn.org, the National Organization of Women
and SEIU, to unite for a single cause. Apparently the issue of whether
video footage of presidential debates can be used, edited and shared
online without fear of copyright violations is one that truly brings
people together – sort of.
This morning, letters are being sent to the heads of the Democratic and
Republican parties, urging them to ensure that their debate contracts
(and those signed by the state parties) don't include language that
might prevent footage from being shared freely online.
"In 2008, we need to ensure that the promise of online video is not
inhibited. In the past, television stations that broadcast presidential
debates have retained exclusive rights to debate footage after the event
was over," the group says in letters to both Republican National
Committee chairmen Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida and Mike Duncan and
Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean.
The effort has been led by Stanford Law School professor Lawrence
Lessig, who's been unsuccessful so far in convincing the parties to
ensure free and open access to debate footage for sharing online.
Interestingly, far fewer activists and bloggers signed the letter to the
RNC – just 30 – compared to the number - 68 - that signed the letter
that was sent to the DNC. Many liberal bloggers, including Markos
Moulitsas of DailyKos, Duncan Black of Atrios and Jane Hamsher of
FireDogLake only signed the DNC letter. Same goes for some conservative
bloggers, including Michelle Malkin and Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds,
who only signed the RNC letter. Others, including Arianna Huffington,
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales,
signed both.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2007/04/25/on-debate-video-
unlikely-group-of-activists-unite/

MORE POLITICAL NEWS
http://prorev.com/politics.htm

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