ABC and NBC are taking a step into the future for the upcoming presidential debates. According to a press release, they will allow the presidential debates scheduled to be broadcast on August 5th and the 19th to be used, “without restrictions” starting at 3 PM on those dates.

This is a big step in the right direction for media companies that have historically been very careful about the content that they release to the public, and how they allow that public to use it.

The Implications

As a result of this decision, the full presidential debates could be broadcast and excerpted on social video services without fear of repercussions. Finally, it seems, media is beginning to understand the need to leverage the growing importance of digital media. Restricting how content is presented has never been an effective way of keeping that content from being viewed. All it has managed to generate is negative press for everyone involved, and criminalize what is seen by most as “fair use”.

This decision also opens up the presidential debate to a much larger audience, many of whom have given up on television in favor of online video content.

Web 2.0 Roundup

This is a first step in what will hopefully be sweeping changes that allow content creators to combine the history and reach of television, with interactivity and speed of digital distribution. Hopefully, this is not an isolated decision by these major networks and instead represents a real push towards democratizing their content and making it available to their increasingly digital audience.

[I would like to thank Digital Freedom for the tip. Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed before leaving]

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