YouTube, copyright and the F-bomb
Cory Bergman May 13th, 2008
So by now, you’ve probably heard about veteran WNBC anchor Sue Simmons and her unfortunate F-bomb drop on live TV. Of course, in the market the size of New York, this sort of thing spreads like wildfire… on YouTube, especially. As of this count there are 17 clips. Wait, make that 13, as two have been removed “by the user” and two more “due to a copyright claim by a third party.” By any definition, this isn’t good publicity, but trying to stop it in today’s viral society is a near impossibility.
Meanwhile, there are 600 comments and counting on WNBC.com.
Update: Even the New York Times did the story today.
18 Comments Add your own
1. Anonymous | May 13th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Relax! The Aussies think it’s kinda fun! Brings out that HUMAN, FALLIBLE side.
All you think about is a fine the size of Turkmenistan.
2. Embroiderymachinesforsale.net | May 13th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
They could have stopped it if they were more on top of it (and they should have been since I’m sure the techs at WNBC knew the language aired).
Had they spotted it shortly after it was first put up and had it removed before other users had the chance to download it and re-upload it, they could have mitigated some of the damage. No video evidence=no viral blogging. This is the type of story that is made 10x bigger through video than it would have been as a text only story and it would not have anywhere near the viral power it has had.
3. Jason | May 13th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
That’s insane, embroidery machines. It aired live, and many youtube videos I saw were people using their DVR to rewind their programming and put it on the web. If it goes on TV, and it’s a mistake, it will end up on the web. No way to stop it, other than to stop making mistakes.
4. tdc | May 13th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
wasn’t it just last week the guy said they were rebranding as a “content center”???
who knew it would be x-rated content?
5. tdc | May 13th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
there’s over 600 comments under “an apology” at nbcnewyork(dotcom)
6. oakling | May 13th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
the funny thing is that I hadn’t heard of it at all until now
7. Steve | May 13th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I still don’t understand the context in which she cursed. Was she being groped under the desk or something?
8. Z | May 13th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
That’s my question. Who is she talking to?
9. Michael | May 13th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I just heard about it too.
I seemed to me by watching the videos that Chuck didn’t know they were on so he didn’t read his line after her and so she was wondering “what the **** are you doing”?
10. 5w30 | May 13th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Chuck Scarborough missed his cue.
Both thought it was a runthrough, according to sources close to the action.
11. Rob | May 13th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
YouTube and sites like it have become the media’s Andomeda Strain. Once the bug gets loose there’s no way to contain it.
12. Steve | May 13th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Letterman ran the clip on his show TWICE. He was truly entertained by it.
13. Hussman | May 14th, 2008 at 5:37 am
I think the real point here is the enthusiasm with which she said it. Clearly SOMETHING was going on. Either way it was fuc–, um really hilarious.
14. zzz | May 14th, 2008 at 7:29 am
This is the most important story in the history of the world.
Let’s discuss it more, even.
15. Safran | May 14th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Who was the first person to use the term “F-Bomb,” anyway? What’s the etymology?
16. Safran | May 14th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Yep - it’s the first outburst incident-related T-shirt. Click on my name.
17. Anonymous | May 14th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Ah…they’re just laying the groundwork for another great Chuck & Sue song from Fountains of Wayne!
From the last:
“turned to Sue Simmons…said sugar…you don’t know what you’re missin’.”
18. Steve | May 14th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
So I wonder why Murdoch hasn’t tried the copyright defense to get the “Bill O’Reilly Fox Sucks!” video off YouTube yet?
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