Open Letter to Warner Music Group

Hi, my name's Rawson. This video is a public request to YouTube and Warner Music Group to please restore the Velvet Underground documentary and the interview of the Velvet Underground's Sterling Morrison to my YouTube channel. I believe these clips are lawful and appropriate for streaming under the doctrine of Fair Use in United States copyright law.

Fair Use doctrine allows the using of copyrighted material without permission of the rights holders for the purpose of education and scholarship, and I would argue that the content of these videos are at least as valuable for those purposes as they are for simple entertainment. Fair use also allows for the presentation of limited segments of copyrighted material, such as song clips and pieces, another aspect of the doctrine with which the videos comply. It's my opinion music lovers are motivated to know more about the Velvets and subsequently purchase their recordings as a result of seeing these documentaries.

It's my wish that Warner Music Group would better appreciate the power of YouTube to present and preserve the depths and the complexities of twentieth century popular culture. The existence of YouTube, along with willingness on the part of record and film companies to allow the streaming of clips and segments of artists' work, will help ensure that history and truth will be accessible to everyone while, at the same time, perpetuating the work's money-making potential.

I encourage other YouTubers who have had their videos removed because of objections by Warner Music Group and similar entities to speak out as well. Thank you.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• fair
• use
• copyright
• law
• velvet
• underground

[FernandesStrat]

Hi! Did you use to run the yahoo freakwater group? That was great!

[newoldtymer]

@FernandesStrat Still do :)

[UncleVRoy]

bravo!

[AScoppa]

double bravo!!

[jjgrbic]

If the documentary is a copyrighted work, claiming fair use like this will never work. You can possibly get away with it if you post segments of the work, just break it up and add some commentary in the description. I studied copyright in law school.

[StonesTHATdontROLL]

FUCK YOU WMG!!!! FUCK YOU!!!!!

[MikeHawk1234567890]

Wanking

Molesting

Gaylords

They'll probably mute this video too.

[naynay1266]

triple bravo!!! Ride on brother!

[vevoumgwmg]

WMG has a right to remove videos and mute audios. Users have no rights to upload them.

These are just the policies of youtube. If you are going to upload video containing copyrighted content....DONT DO IT.

Please do not get angry at WMG for doing the right thing.

[kaka29956]

its called YOUTUBE not WMGtube or SONYtube >> they suck, nice videoo btw:D

[BBQFanNo1]

Of course You Tube used to allow WMG and Sony songs. That is why you dont hear or see the original studio recordings of the songs like this one. The companies think they are protecting their own interests but what they are actually doing blocking the very people who put the money in their own bank account books. Really ungratefully stupid on their part. It is the public fan of their products that put them where they are today. They are cutting off the very people support who made them.

[BlueKewne]

WMG have been complete douchebags with this.