ABC is putting some serious restrictions on what news organizations can do with the Event of the Century — the network’s interview with woman wannabe Bruce Jenner.
First, no one can use more than one minute of “actualities” for the next seven days. There’s no “Number 2” in the list of restrictions, but No. 3 says “A mandatory on-screen credit reading “ABC News Exclusive” must be aired during the entire excerpt you broadcast.”
In addition, all excerpts “must be introduced with an audio credit ’In an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer.’” And affiliates must adhere to all rules as well.
But that’s not all. Rule 6 says: “With regard to any possible excerpting by your network of the interview, please note that we expressly forbid the use of logos over any of the above footage. If it is not possible for you to excerpt the program without showing a logo, then there may be no excerpting.” So there, logo users!
But’s there’s even more! No part of the video interview may be used on the Internet or other online service or interactive multimedia transmission, or archived for future use. Digital outlets are only permitted to embed ABC News’ video player.
And if you have a problem, know this: “ABC News reserves all of its rights and remedies in the event of any violation of its rights.”
Below is the email ABC sent to news orgs:
Following are usage rules for “Bruce Jenner – The Interview,” a Diane Sawyer special airing Friday, April 24, 2015 on a special edition of “20/20” (9:00 – 11:00 pm ET) on the ABC Television Network.
1. Excerpts of no more than ONE MINUTE (1:00) of actualities from “20/20” may be incorporated in your regularly scheduled news programs broadcast within the seven (7) day period commencing at 3:35 a.m. ET Saturday, April 25 following the West Coast airing of Nightline.
Should you wish to use actualities of the interview beyond 3:35 a.m. on Friday, May 1, you must contact ABC News’ Rights & Clearances and Permissions department (abc.permissions@abcnews.com).
3. A mandatory on-screen credit reading “ABC News Exclusive” must be aired during the entire excerpt you broadcast. The excerpt must be introduced with an audio credit “In an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer…”
4. You must advise your affiliates and any other entities to which you provide material for broadcast that they must abide by the same usage and credit guidelines to incorporate any excerpts in their locally originated programming
5. Domestic networks may not redistribute the material as clips or raw material to international affiliates or agencies. Re-distribution of an entire segment or program containing the clip is allowed as long as the affiliates are advised that no excerpting of the clip or cataloguing for future use is allowed.
6. With regard to any possible excerpting by your network of the interview, please note that we expressly forbid the use of logos over any of the above footage. If it is not possible for you to excerpt the program without showing a logo, then there may be no excerpting.
7. No part of the video interview may be used on the Internet or other online service or interactive multimedia transmission, or archived for future use. Digital outlets are only permitted to embed ABC News’ video player.
ABC News reserves all of its rights and remedies in the event of any violation of its rights.
• Joseph Curl can be reached at jcurl@washingtontimes.com.
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