AP Says Video Dispute Was 'Misunderstanding'

"Misunderstanding"

The ASSOCIATED PRESS has apologized to LAFOLLETTE BROADCASTERS Country WTNQ (Q-COUNTRY)/LAFOLLETTE, TN for a representative's sending of an e-mail demanding removal of AP YOUTUBE videos from the station website. 

The videos are offered for free with embed codes on the AP YOUTUBE channel, yet when WTNQ, an AP subscriber, posted the videos, it was served with an e-mail asking the station to take the videos down. TECHCRUNCH reports that the AP has issued a statement saying, "There was a misunderstanding of YOUTUBE usage when the TENNESSEE radio station was contacted by the ASSOCIATED PRESS regarding the AP’s more extensive online video services. No cease-and-desist letter was drafted or sent by AP to the station at any time. The AP was trying to offer the station a superior service for their needs."

WTNQ's FRANK STROBEL said on his blog that when he called the AP regional representative who sent the e-mail asking why it would be considered a license violation "if you are actively posting the video on YOUTUBE -— on a channel you specifically created to share content —- with embed codes for people to post in their websites? Are you telling me that you put it there for people to use ... but if they USE IT they’re violating your rights?" The representative did not appear to have a ready answer, but insisted on the videos' removal. "They actually seemed to act like they didn’t even know they had a YOUTUBE channel!" wrote STROBEL.

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