The offal pit: Copy right?

Has the Feds' YouTube channel been removed because of copy rights?

Copyright?The other day I went to Feds' YouTube channel to watch a programme Seven Sharp did on Filipino workers. I wanted to check something but I encountered a dead site with a stark warning that Mediaworks had shut it down for 'copyright violation'.

Mediaworks are the people behind 3News, Campbell Live and even RadioLive. As this sounded serious I did some checking and, sure as eggs, someone at Mediaworks is upset that Feds has copied interviews involving Feds onto Feds' own YouTube channel.

So let me get this straight. If TV3 interviews you as a farmer, something that can cut a big hole in your day and you then copy that interview onto your Facebook or personal YouTube and Mediworks finds out, they will likely 'terminate' your account.

Does this sound slightly heavy-handed? Apparently Feds had no 'or else' email or letter from Mediaworks. I knew Mediaworks had financial problems but you cannot tell me someone killing YouTube videos is paying for itself as compared with the bad PR.

If they think they're preserving online ad revenue, they're not. Once news has been and gone you'd be lucky to find it by searching either of the news channels online. Think trying to find the haystack the needle is in, while Feds had done a great job pulling together news clips that linked back to 3News, including even the reporter's name. That is now 'terminated'.

Unbelievably, this seems to be the law. So despite the fact a news interview may involve you, you have no legal right to use the clip, but if there's no talent, then there is no news -- Catch 22.

I guess if that's how they want to roll, farmers could start demanding an appearance fee -- fair recompense for rearranging our day to fit into their filming schedule. After all they're in business to make money and guess what, so are we.

-Offal Pit is a contributed column and does not reflect the views or policies of Federated Farmers.