The group says that Newport Television's demand that it stop using station logos as part of its campaign against virtual duopolies is not a violation of copyright law, but "a clear and outrageous attempt to intimidate Free Press, and to silence commentary on this important issue."
Free Press Blasts Newport Over Logo Flap
Free Press, the nonprofit that is currently leading the charge against media consolidation, including in local broadcasting, is using a cease-and-desist letter it received from Newport Television to rally support for its cause.
In a July 1 letter to Free Press, Newport charges that the use of two station logos in a YouTube video — part of Free Press’ Change the Channels campaign against virtual duopolies — without permission is a violation of copyright law.
“Accordingly, we ask that you immediately cease and desist publication, use and/or distribution of the materials on your website or in any other manner,” the letter says.
The logos were those of Newport’s virtual duopoly in Jacksonville, Fla. — WAWS and WTEV. Newport owns WAWS and operates WTEV under an agreement with the owner, High Plains Broadcasting.
Free Press countered with a letter saying it was entitled to use the logos under the fair use exception, and a posting on its website saying Newport’s “bogus claim is a clear and outrageous attempt to intimidate Free Press, and to silence commentary on this important issue.”
In the posting, Free Press points out that the FCC is going to revisit its local ownership rules this summer. “[W]e are going to fight to make sure covert consolidation is part of the debate, whether Newport Television likes it or not. I hope you will join us.”
BRAND CONNECTIONS
In its letter to Newport, Free Press notes that the YouTube video had been disabled due to a Newport copyright complaint, and that it had petitioned YouTube to restore it.
In the meantime, Free Press says, the video has been posted on other platforms.
The campaign that triggered the controversy targets shared services agreements and other contractual arrangements that allow one station to control others in markets where common ownership of two stations is not currently allowed.
Free Press’ principal beef is that the arrangement often lead to the shuttering of newsrooms and similar newscasts on the stations. Free Press calls this “covert consolidation,” even though these arrangements are approved by the FCC and routinely reported by local newspapers and the trade press.
Free Press says that there are “covert” combinations — or what broadcasters call duopolies — in 80 markets involving 200 stations.
A centerpiece of the campaign is an interactive online map showing where the duopolies are and which broadcasters are involved in them.
Comments (2)
Starman Jeffery says:
July 13, 2011 at 1:16 am
It should be noted that the WAWS and WTEV newsrooms were never consolidated; they’ve been one in the same ever since WAWS started the WTEV newscast back in the mid ’90s. Beforehand, WTEV had no news product, and was a low-rated UPN affiliate before gaining the CBS affiliation in 2002. The news presence on WTEV was massively increased from one 6:30pm weekday newscast to a slate of morning, midday, evening, and late shows, all originating from sister-station WAWS (as they were an actual duopoly at the time under Clear Channel).
When it comes to TV newsroom consolidation, the WTEV/WAWS situation really isn’t a good example to go by. (Jacksonville’s NBC & ABC affiliates, on the other hand…)
len Kubas says:
July 13, 2011 at 12:36 pm
“Free Press” is actually for “unfree Press” if your company is bigger or operates more TV stations than “Free Press” considers optimal — they would apparently prefer stations to go dark. And, they are possibly smart enough to know that “fair use” is simply a defense in a criminal or civil case, so they are asking to be sued to see if they have the right to use the logos they are using in the video. Free Press has one patron: socialist billionaire George Soros; they do his bidding. He’s rich, but not so rich as to think that he or his minions will risk money on running TV stations; only running them down.