ALERT: FOX FORCING REMOVAL OF AUDIO CLIPS FROM BOOMHAUER FAN SITE!
Hi there
Sonya wrote:
>
> noel@_NO_SPAM_PLEASE!_cyberramp.net (noel) wrote:
> >
> > Well, it's been a good run ... hundreds of visits a day over the
> > past seven months (about 10,000 per month). We were lauded by
> > Yahoo!, Internet Underground and many other kind folks ... even
> > quietly praised by KOTH insiders.
> >
> > Sadly, on Sept. 23 a lawyer for the Fox network contacted us and
> > insists we remove all audio clips from our site, or face certain
> > legal action. We will do so within 10 days ... barring a miracle
> > (in which we'd be granted special, written permission to feature
> > Boomhauer audio clips for the purpose of savoring his wisdom).
> >
> > For complete details, visit "Yeah man, Itellyawhat ... "
> > (http://www.cyberramp.net/~noel)
> >
> > Should you wish, you may (respectfully) register your dissatisfaction
> > with Fox's action: ask...@foxinc.com or KING OF THE HILL; Watt Plaza;
> > Attn: Erica Clare; 1875 Century Park E., 4th Floor; Los Angeles, CA
> > 90067 It's been fun for me ...
> >
> > Dang ol',
> > -N!
>
> Goddamn it! That was the BEST site related to KotH or any other animated
> TV show! May the Fox lawyers slowly roast in a miserable, Bosch-like
> hell filled with genital-eating demons.
>
> Sonya
So why not call David Oakes, leader of Fox's clan of shovelnosed, slack-
jawed copyright loophole litigators and tell them what you think? Their
two phone lines are no match for 500 pissed off fans. To speak with them
personally, 310-369-2738. To fax your opinions, 310-369-4241. Or if you
prefer good old snail mail, fire some off to:
David G. Oakes, Legal Affairs
TCF Licensing & Merchandising
10210 W. Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Because justice costs money these days, Fox's lawyers will continue to
whack fan sites knowing that individual people lack the organizational
and motivational skills -- not to mention mass funds -- to fight them.
If fans put a group effort into letting these asswipes know a solution
is needed, perhaps things would change. For the time being, David and
clan are simply emphasizing their usefulness to Fox by keeping busy
with slapping SOMEBODY in the face, whether it's fans or not. If a
large enough stink were caused over the activity, Fox would likely take
notice of it and think of changing it's policies. After all, while the
company legally has a responsibility to protect it's copyrighted crap,
it also has a mission of mass appeasal. Mass appeasal earns viewers.
Send carbon copies to the president and/or vice president of TCF L&M
with your snail mail. (-:
Enough writing on any subject can change even the most stern guidelines.
My personal suggestion to them is that they make a one-time license fee
of no more than $20 available to individuals for use of copyrighted
images, audio, you name it, on web, ftp, gopher, etc. internet sites.
While Fox says it's creating a batch of "copyright cleared" images for
fan use, that doesn't change the situation. Copyright cleared in this
case likely refers to drawings which are close but not accurate. So
their solution is to tell fans they must use horribly done graphics
instead of those which are the real McCoy. Offer them our solution!
Anyone can part with a $20 bucks once, and since money talks as far
as these goons care, $40,000 from 2,000 fan sites might change their
opinion. They claim that copyrighted material must be protected to
prevent free use, which runs them a risk of being sued by guilds.
Not that a guild has ever sued because of a fan's web site, of course.
But that's their excuse, and this is the perfect solution. They'd be
selling licenses for usage, and no lawsuits could therefore be filed.
Plus, we'd have real graphics to use -- our own -- not theirs, which
probably wouldn't hardly resemble the characters at all.
Aaron Varhola
sfd97gh24@.com (Hi there) wrote:
>Because justice costs money these days, Fox's lawyers will continue to
>whack fan sites knowing that individual people lack the organizational
>and motivational skills -- not to mention mass funds -- to fight them.
Well...if you live in Oregon, it will take much less. I'm an Oregon lawyer
and am willing to defend any website owner in Oregon for free. I'm pissed
off at Rupert Murdoch and his hired goons for trying to stamp out all
independent creations featuring their shows; Dennis Wilson and the other
California lawyers at Baker & Hostetler are pawns in Rupert Murdoch's plans
for world domination, which includes actions such as attempting to bribe
the Speaker of the House to encourage favorable legislation and to get kid
glove treatment from the FCC.
>If fans put a group effort into letting these asswipes know a solution
>is needed, perhaps things would change.
I'm a veteran of one such campaign; WIFA, the Worldwide (formerly Warner)
Internet Fan Association, which sprung into action when Warner Brothers was
pulling the same shit against Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures web
sites. We did have some positive contacts with some of the writers and
producers of the show, but were not able to get through to anyone with real
power.
However, there is a very obvious target coming out next summer....the new
Star Wars movie. Wouldn't it be a shame if Fox's behavior caused a
groundswell of enmity among Internet users that caused some harm to the
Star Wars movie's receipts? Remember, the X-Files gained their popularity
here; it can work in reverse.
For the time being, David and
>clan are simply emphasizing their usefulness to Fox by keeping busy
>with slapping SOMEBODY in the face, whether it's fans or not. If a
>large enough stink were caused over the activity, Fox would likely take
>notice of it and think of changing it's policies.
Perhaps a "day of rage" would be appropriate.....everyone sends e-mail and
snail mail to Fox Legal (David Oakes) and Baker & Hostettler (Dennis Wilson
and some of the larger partners in his firm; the names of the partners can
be found at the Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Directory at
http://lawyers.martindale.com/marhub). Marc Seltzer is one of the other
intellectual property lawyers in the firm; he has been instrumental in the
harassment of several web site owners by Warner Brothers, including former
alt.tv.simpsons FAQ-keeper Matthew Kurth. His e-mail address is
msel...@baker-hostetler.com
>Enough writing on any subject can change even the most stern guidelines.
>My personal suggestion to them is that they make a one-time license fee
>of no more than $20 available to individuals for use of copyrighted
>images, audio, you name it, on web, ftp, gopher, etc. internet sites.
Or perhaps a defense to a lawsuit claiming fair use, or even implementing a
new defense of fair use of trademarks, which has been suggested in a
Virginia Law Review article about the use of trademarks in parody.
Aaron Varhola | "From what I've seen of [Rupert] Murdoch's
WIFA Counsel | papers in this country, no self-respecting
YSFC #6 | fish would want to be wrapped in them."
avarhola(at)ix.netcom.com| ---- Mike Royko, 1932-1997
Kevin Vos
And look how popular Animaniacs and Tiny Toons are today...-KJV
> ...Internet Fan Association, which sprung into action when Warner
Brothers was
> pulling the same shit against Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures web
> sites...