YouTube Pulls Romney’s Anti-Obama ‘Al Green’ Ad Over Copyright Claim
- Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:43pm by
Becket Adams
- Print »
- Email »
The Romney campaign on Monday released an ad accusing President Obama of worrying more about rewarding his crony pals than helping the American people. And much like a recent anti-Romney ad featuring the former Massachusetts governor singing “America the Beautiful,” the anti-Obama ad was set to the audio of the president singing Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”
However, in less than 24 hours of the ad’s release, YouTube has taken it down over a copyright claim from BMG Rights Management, an international group of “music companies focused on the management of music rights,” according to the company’s website.
A screenshot from the pulled ad.
“BMG covers the entire range of rights administration, development, exploitation worldwide and funding of new master recordings, placing the needs of songwriters and artists at the core of its business model,” the site adds.
If you try to watch Romney’s anti-Obama ad, all you get is the following message: “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by BMG_Rights_Management.” And although the video still turns up on YouTube’s search, it is nowhere to be found:
(Related: See Romney‘s Response Attack Ad Set to the Tune of Obama Singing ‘Let‘s Stay Together‘)
Titled “Political Payoffs and Middle Class Layoffs,” the pulled ad featured audio of the president singing while Romney’s campaign message splashed across the screen.
“Right now, there are 23 million Americans struggling for work, unemployment is stuck at 8.2 percent,” the ad claims. “So who is President Obama helping? His friends.”
Another screenshot form the pulled video.
While the president can be heard singing, these headlines flash across the screen:
- “Obama’s Big Money Raisers Get Key Posts, Access, Stimulus Dollars” (National Public Radio)
- “Democratic Donors Rewarded with W.H. Perks” (Washington Times)
- “White House Opens Doors to Big Donors, and Lobbyists Slip In” (New York Times)
Who is Obama helping, the ad asks, answering: “Lots of love for the donor class, what about the middle class?”
Final thought: Apparently, BMG has an issue with someone using audio of another person imitating Al Green. No matter. You can still get your hands on the exact same audio for free on the president’s reelection website (we know, we’ve already downloaded it and swooned, like, 14 times):
By the way, here’s the original video of President Obama’s rendition of the R&B classic:
UPDATE: According to a Romney campaign spokesman, “Our use was 100 percent proper, under fair use, and we plan to defend ourselves.”
UPDATE II: You can view the pulled ad here
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 600 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 420 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 415 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 393 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 378 Comments
Faith
Arab-Muslim Character to Join DC Comics‘ ’Green Lantern’ Series Read More- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 420 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 415 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 393 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know 100 Comments- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 420 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (81)
symphonic
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:35pmBMG does NOT own the copyright to the recording of Obama ON A NEWS CHANNEL singing some song! What a crock.
btw, ANYONE can file a DMCA (Digital millennium copyright act) claim on youtube and claim that they are the copyright owner of the material, or THINK they are to the best of their “knowledge” of course, under the penalty of perjury. Then click. Then youtube, not being a court, just takes it down and waits for the other party to claim that THEY are indeed the copyright owner. Well, Romney’s campaign is certainly NOT the copyright owner of it, its the NEWS station that filmed it. So youtube will never get that counter notice. The video will never go back up.
YOUTUBE IS AN IDIOT. It’s GOOGLE by the way, and they do want gay marriage too… so they are in cahoots, as they say.
Report Post »symphonic
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:44pmThis is high profile enough that youtube/GOOGLE knows exactly what it is doing. They are messing with the 1st Amendment and playing CENSOR to fair use and free speech.
Doesn’t that google guy visit the white house? Um, yeah.
Report Post »Benjamin Abruzzo
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 12:43am@symphonic
Actually, BMG has the rights to the performance and distribution of the song and can, therefore, make a claim to take the video down.
But that can be disputed by the video maker, not on the grounds they own the rights to the song, but havet he rights to use the perticular preformance, i.e. news footage.
Report Post »VoteBushIn12
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 2:06am@SYMPHONIC
You just got Owned!
If you don‘t like Google then don’t use it. If you don‘t like YouTube then don’t use it. If you don’t like free “liberal” services then don’t use them…
Also while you’re at it, don‘t use THIS SITE either because it’s built using WordPress – one of those free liberal things you hate so much.
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 5:51amSo that bumps ASCAP up one notch as a business partner and BMG down.
If I were Romney, I’d pay the royalty fee and run the ad big time. Any one is free to use and sing any song in America, you just have to pay the owner/holder of the copyright.
Youtube has a legitimate reason to pull the ad by responding this way now, but if Romney pays the royalty fee, he’s covered and pundits can also add the double standard bias of BMG to the discussion.
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 5:59amBMG collects royalties for the songwriter if the writer or person who owns the copyright is a BMG member.
The fastest way to get through the fog of this and use the song is to pay BMG royaly fees. I‘d also make the case via pundit that BMG didn’t apply the same rules to Obama and that it’s bussiness practices are biased.
As for “America the Beautiful” I think that song may be in the public domain and anyone is free to use it. Not sure, but there are many older songs like that.
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 7:10amYo Votebushin12:
He didn’t get “owned” he got corrected just like you have, or maybe your perfect …BIG DEAL
Report Post »Are we to take that you believe it’s the kindness of the liberals free stuff that we survive?
FatFreedom
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 7:26amThis has been going on for years! The Blaze is engaging in the same thing when they screen the comments posted here, so as not to show the outrage from Liberrty loving individuals, or to try to make it more balanced. Like C-SPAN that early on shifted from taking calls as they came in tonne liberal caller and then one concervative caller, since 80% of callers were conservative. Here on the blaze a large percentage are Ron Paul supporters and mad about the biased coverage.
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 7:38ami guess that is one way to contol speech.
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:55amWe can see where the left stands, If you do not agree a business’s political stance it is simple , do not use their service or product. That is what I am doing and saving money by doing without that product or service. Try it and see.
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:50pmWell, we know uh Obama has never been uh able to uh run a business, country or uh do a job. He uh certainly can‘t sing and uh can’t uh speak unless his uh teleprompter is uh running. Uh there isn‘t uh much this uh guy can do that’s of any uh good.
Report Post »“Yes we can” takes on a whole new meaning when there is someone holding dingle Barry’s hand.
seanscythe
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:06pmRemember Glenn said to record or save this stuff because they will try their hardest to block and erase it.
Report Post »bleuze
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 12:58pmObama knows how to lie – ask the Illinois Bar why they were revoking his law license?
Report Post »phrogdriver
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:40pmUp until today, I ympathized with the music industry’s efforts to combat piracy by enforcing copyrights.
Now I say screw’em.
The tiny segmentof Obama singing clearly falls within the “fiar use” doctrine nd this is clearly politcally moivated by yet another industry that hopes for a payoff by the Obamafia if he gets reelected.
Report Post »symphonic
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:39pmBMG does NOT own the copyright to the recording of Obama ON A NEWS CHANNEL singing some song! Its FAIR USE as you said. Anyone can take a snippet from the news, and use it in any video they want. Its FAIR USE. That’s the copyright law.
btw, ANYONE can file a DMCA (Digital millennium copyright act) claim on youtube and claim that they are the copyright owner of the material, or THINK they are to the best of their “knowledge” of course, under the penalty of perjury. They can lie about that. Then click. Then youtube, not being a court, just takes it down and waits for the other party to claim that THEY are indeed the copyright owner. Well, Romney’s campaign is certainly NOT the copyright owner of it, its the NEWS station that filmed it. It was FAIR USE… So youtube will never get that counter notice. The video will never go back up.
YOUTUBE IS AN IDIOT. It’s GOOGLE by the way, and they do want gay marriage too… so they are in cahoots, as they say. They are all cheaters and do not play the game fair, and they do lie (that is Obama’s camp)
Report Post »lylejk
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:07pmIt’s time to find other video share sites and give youtube the boot. As long as BO’s allowed to have this on his website and Romney not allowed to use it, then the double standards stinks to all that listens that Google and Youtube (one and the same of course) are too partisan to be useful to anyone. Below’s something to think about for starters. :)
http://chaos-laboratory.com/2007/08/30/top-31-free-alternatives-to-youtube-video-hosting-sites/
Report Post »Hill60
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:23pmSure, YouTube caved – but BMG claimed that the music was copyrighted and that Romney didn’t have the rights to use it. That would apply to ANY site that allows you to upload videos. If there’s a copyright conflict, the host site isn’t going to argue – they’ll pull it.
As an aside – I‘d sure love to see proof that the Preezy has properly acquired the rights to the song that he’s offering available for download at the White House website. Clearly BMG has no interest in stopping the clown in the White House from using the audio to his gain, but has a big problem when Romney uses it. Eh – whatever. I’ll just be adding BMG and their artists to my boycott list. I don‘t think I’ll be missing much.
Report Post »symphonic
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:43pmHill60, what part of ITS A LIE don’t you understand??
BMG lied. They do NOT own the copyright to Obama singing that song. If Obama tries to SELL his performance, the most BMG can do is try and collect some MECHANICAL RIGHTS fees via the HARRY FOX agency. BMG can’t shut a single soul down for doing a “copy tune” of something that is already commercially released and for sale.
BMG filed a false DMCA claim. They should be prosecuted for perjury. Romney should claim they have copyright permission via FAIR USE to put it back up there. It was on the news, man.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:03pmStill waiting for an ad about freedom or the constitution…..
Report Post »FatFreedom
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 7:31amYou must be thinking about Ron Paul, or Gary Johnson, being they are the only ones that believe in that old relic!
Report Post »TerryDo
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:03pmAll Romney‘s team has to do is keep the filmed part of Obama’s on stage singing the three words ‘lets stay together’ but just dub over the music and Obama’s voice with a well know criminal voice. ie., like actors James Cagney or Edward G. Robinson
Report Post »Kylestarr
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:00pmOk, I don’t know a lot about copyright stuff but, if it was wrong for Rommey to have big O singing in an ad. Then would it not also be wrong for big O to have an ad of Rommey singing?
Now I know the two songs are different but would not copyright thing be the same?
Or is it just because one is big O and the other is Rommey?
I will not be holding my breath that big O’s ad will stay on air.
Report Post »JohnLarson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:09pmRomney‘s ad had audio of Al Green’s song. Obama’s ad was just Romney singing, which isn’t copyrighted.
Report Post »symphonic
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:37pmNo, you’re wrong. That was OBAMA singing the song. Listen and learn. BMG does NOT own the copyright to the news. Its FAIR USE.
Report Post »brickmoon
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:37pmAnybody want to start a pool on when BMG goes after the President’s campaign website for allowing a download of the same song?
Report Post »bigbear_awake
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:58pmhttp://visiontoamerica.com/10932/obamas-hypocrisy-took-money-from-bain/
Report Post »Popp40
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 9:51amPut me down for $100 for the day after H@ll freezes over!
Report Post »Gregb
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:32pmseems like communism rules…
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:47pmHeck, we all know YouTube is a commie front site. Pro gay, pro commie, anti American. Google has gone Gay.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:20pmThey pulled RP’s all the time. What’s the big deal?
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:39pmNo Loss
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:59pmIt was a terrible loss for the country because he was the best candidate.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:06pmThe biggest loss was the lack of coverage and opportunity to discuss the constitution and freedom. Ron Paul was going to lose regardless, but if the RNC had opened the channels – a whole wave of liberty lovers would have been born
Report Post »justangry
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:47pmI know you guys are on my side, so let me fill you in on Mr. Republicorps here. He stated he thought it was OK to kill Muslim CHILDREN because they would grow up evil. We know where that justification was used in our history. He’s a monster, and every parent on here knows it. No child is evil and none deserve to die. At any rate, that‘s the ignorant downy monster you’re arguing with. There really isn’t any room on earth for this kind of monster to even breath. Anti-Paul people should recognize the type of evil you’re aligning yourself with. He‘s the same biggot who bitches about the racist newsletter RP didn’t write. I don‘t even think he’s human. There are animals that demonstrate more compassion than this a$$wipe. You’d have better luck arguing your case with Stalin, Pol Pot, and Hitler.
Report Post »Fonebone
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 3:21amWhat the heck are you talking about??
Report Post »FatFreedom
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 8:00am@Republicorp
Is that an iron cross? Perhaps you should switch it with a swastika, to better reflect your views?
Ron Paul is the most censored person the last year, including here on the blaze.
You neocons don’t see how you have been played, with this whole terrorism plot and your fear has prevented you from thinking! You don’t even allow yourself to do your own research about Ron Paul and why he has the positions he has. I did in 08′ and saw the logic of his positions, and felt that it could not be refuted.
See video from July 2001
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6uvHoiOjOg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
We all know what happened to Kennedy
90 Second clip that might tell you why
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKVt9EvqOpg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Bush Senior 9/11/1991
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a9Syi12RJo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Ron Paul prediction in 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifJG_oFFDK0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Ron Paul last year talking about NDAA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeCpLcjxOq4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
If you look at these videos in order you will find out why Ron Paul is taboo, and why people don’t dare to support him.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:18pmThis is the SOP of the smiling jackal Marxist POS,he simply clears the playing field of all opponents and if BS had his way by the time he‘s done it would be like he’s running unopposed.
There’s a section in the bill of rights that instructs how to deal with a tyrant.
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:33pmIt involves watering the tree of liberty…..correct?
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:40pmRoger that.
Report Post »lwillis59
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:05pm@ progressiveslayer…don’t be suprized if he ends up running un opposed.. NOTHING would suprize me,even if somehow obama suspends the elections crazy????
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:09pmThe Marxist POS has friends in low places,nothing new here it’s like minded people looking out for each other.
Report Post »JohnLarson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:07pmBMG does this to thousands of videos. It kind of sucks, but it’s about property rights.
Funny how cons are turning on the capitalist system. Corporate censorship is free market.
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:50pmPee on their “property rights”! The Supreme Court pee’d on MY property rights in the Kelo Decision! What about MY rights. Hell….pirate the living hell out of them. Let the Left know how it feels.
Report Post »symphonic
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:50pmbut BMG does NOT own the rights to NEWS VIDEO.
BMG does not own the copyrights to the news. ANd Obama singing a song, a phrase, is not copyrighted by BMG. Doesn’t anyone know how copyright works? There is this thing called FAIR USE and there is this other thing called MECHANICAL RIGHTS when it comes to music recordings. Everyone is allowed to make their own recordings of any musical work that is already published and commercially available. Its called a COVER.
Through HARRY FOX AGENCY the BMG type companies get their money and the artists get their royalties, or the copyright owners. BMG has no place here. They lied. They file DMCA on Youtube, and youtube/google just goes along with playing dumb, but they know exactly what they are doing. They are doing their part to obstruct free speech.
I bet google also messes with SEARCH to Obama’s advantage. Liars.
Report Post »littleQueenie
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:06pmMy experience with YouTube is that they pander to whatever group whines the most.
Report Post »We all know how well the Dem’s whine.
Todd Decker
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:05pmCopyright laws have gotten notoriously bad, but this proves that they can be used for political purposes. BMG (RIAA) enjoy a “guilty until proven innocent” privilege, thus allowing them to pull this kind of crap at will.
Report Post »JohnLarson
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:09pmGuilty until proven innocent?
The stole the song and put it right in the ad. What, do you want a CSI team on this?
It’s the free market.
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:47pmDo we really have to spell this out for you? The video of BO singing is up on you tube and isn’t a copyright infringement so how is using a bit of the same video that is also in the public domain in a Romney ad a copyright infringement?
Did BO get a copyright on his performance? Is the copyright infringement for using the song, if that is the case then BOs use constitutes the same infringement and thus his video should be pulled for the same reason
Report Post »spirited
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:04pmRomney should still be able to run it on YOU-TUBE; just omit Obama’s vocals.
>That ought to do it.
Report Post »Mapache
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:03pmI would think that since the President is doing the rift at a public event it would come under the fair use clause.
Report Post »thegoldman
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:00pmI have no use for google, i use bling or yahoo. If enough people did this google would keep it’s nose out of politics !
Report Post »audiemurphy
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:58pmdbl standards!!!!!
Report Post »Someone needs to seize upon this censorship, cause that exactly what it is!
honor007
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:57pmthin skinned punk.
Report Post »Silversmith
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:55pmBMG, YouTube – Just buckin’ for favors.
Silversmith
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:51pmDig deep enough I am betting the potus’s machine has their hands on this muzzling of Romney.
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:02pmMy thoughts exactly.
Report Post »sillyfreshness
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:50pmGoogle, which has turned into an official propaganda arm of the Democratic Party (Communist Party, Worker’s Party, People’s Party, etc.) should just put on their website “video removed by executive order of our dictator-in-chief”.
Report Post »wordweaver
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:49pmFascist Commie YouTube Philistines!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:46pmSo are they going to go after OBAMA for singing and using the song without permission … Romney only used what Obama DID.
Report Post »tbo
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:52pmEntertainment World in the Tank for Obama. Nothing new here.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:01pmor, is he paying royalties to use the song for votes and financial contribution?
Report Post »Want our country back
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:13pmThis is actually VERY alarming….. the media, hollywood, you tube, google… Boy do have our hands full…
I’ve got my sleeves rolled up and am doing all I can but we really need to unite. Gotta convince those crazy Ron Paulbots to join the party and not throw their vote away…. there are still too many people that want to sit this one out or write in… not good… we need all votes because we know that when it’s said and done, there will have been 600,000 million that voted… not 300 million. We REALLY need God to help us.
Report Post »DonaldH
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:25pmBINGO– any first year law student would eat this alive!! Al Green can only stop Obama– Not a third party from using it..
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:17pmOr is it an unreported campaign donation?
Report Post »