World Cycling Channel - End of an era

[Anonymous]

WCC today closed its doors. Ive known this was coming for a while but today became a reality.

Theres been copyright claims over the years from the likes of Eurosport and a few others but this season things have really come to a head.

First Rai asked for videos from their feeds not to be uploaded, and then the final nail in the coffin was when Sporza started putting in copyright claims. (Ironically sporza have been known to embed copyrighted youtube videos in their own site and not taken them down).

Number of theories as to whos behind this, belgian anti piracy federation have been working hard to shut down streams and highlights so maybe there is an official highlights provider planned (or maybe cycling.tv are hoping to get more subscribers).

Going to really impact a lot of cycling fans.

There will still be occasional uploads apparently of smaller races, but from non sporza, eurosport, rai, nos sources.

Because of recent copyright claims and other requests (by now we got a claim from about every major source), it has become impossible to maintain a 'world cycling channel' on YouTube this way. So this is where the story ends. Symbolically we've changed the background of our logo to black. Thank you for being with us in the past years. We've opened up the forum, feel free to put your comments.

P.S.: We would like to mention the hypocrite policy of VRT/Sporza in particular: they put a claim on uploads from their channel on YouTube, but at the same time they have amateur uploads from major sportsevents on YouTube embedded on their own website. Here's an example: http://www.sporza.be/permalink/1.978273 (by the way, a fragment that has been copied from our upload!)

 

[la.margna]

sad. let's hope that UCI realises the opportunity and sells all rights for all races directly to users for quality internet-streams in order we don't have to support these copyright-paranoid sport channels. if at least one could buy legally these downloads? incredible. chicanery.

 

[TERMINATOR]

sad. let's hope that UCI realises the opportunity and sells all rights for all races directly to users for quality internet-streams in order we don't have to support these copyright-paranoid sport channels. if at least one could buy legally these downloads? incredible. chicanery.

The UCI doesn't own any rights to pro races except the world championships and maybe that Beijing thing that all the teams will now boycott over the radio ban.

 

[la.margna]

The UCI doesn't own any rights to pro races except the world championships and maybe that Beijing thing that all the teams will now boycott over the radio ban.

yeah, that's why i write it in order that the entire structure gets changed and they have control and distribution... wishful thinking i know, but maybe one day, who knows...

 

[jaylew]

Just found out about this looking for highlights from today's races. A sad day as I've spent countless hours watching clips from them.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Genie's Out of the Bottle

Old, powerful media is trying to keep market boundaries and otherwise shut down new competitors. It's the old media in West trying to turn the Internet into a delivery-only mechanism and further holding things back by strengthening intellectual property and copyright law

The technology is already there to distribute a broadcast over the internet in a peer-to-peer topology. Unfortunately, most of it is in programs with simplified Chinese interfaces and Chinese content because it's one of the few countries in the world where intellectual property law is mercifully limited.

Google 'peer to peer television' for good examples. The bad news is that some of the technology is used to steal content. I don't agree with that. But old media is trying like crazy to stop it instead of embracing it.

 

[Anonymous]

Just found out about this looking for highlights from today's races. A sad day as I've spent countless hours watching clips from them.

There will be occasional updates on a fresh account, but nothing like the coverage previously seen. Basically highlights from small races covered by regional broadcasters.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

never thought I'd say it but damn you sporza

 

[jaylew]

There will be occasional updates on a fresh account, but nothing like the coverage previously seen. Basically highlights from small races covered by regional broadcasters.

Yeah, I'm going to miss the days when you could count on being able to easily watch the races you missed through them or the other one that seems to be gone now (canal)?

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I'm going to miss the days when you could count on being able to easily watch the races you missed through them or the other one that seems to be gone now (canal)?

Canal_F10... That was never going to stick around long. TF1 pull all the eurosport videos, was more a disposable account that could cover some stuff that other accounts couldnt at the time. Hence Oman, Qatar got put there by whoever as they were (c) problems last year.

they have another account but wont be putting up anything from sporza, rai, eurosport etc etc, so only smaller races.

Most races are still being covered in some way or other. All the races sky are in go up on tsf, steephill will still list links to most races, just the sources will be more wide and varied than before depending on the race and broadcaster.

 

[hfer07]

my understanding is that Google-who owns youtube-is getting a lot of pressure from the media companies to crack down all unauthorized uploads-nevertheless i find it a bit drastic since the channel was not live broadcasting the races, but rather "document them" in small formats(less than 15 mins each vid) after their conclusion.....
well-lets hope that nobody goes after Cyclingtorrents

 

[Anonymous]

my understanding is that Google-who owns youtube-is getting a lot of pressure from the media companies to crack down all unauthorized uploads-nevertheless i find it a bit drastic since the channel was not live broadcasting the races, but rather "document them" in small formats(less than 15 mins each vid) after their conclusion.....
well-lets hope that nobody goes after Cyclingtorrents

Partly that, but its definately coming direct from Broadcasters. The copyright claims are specifically from the host broadcasters.

The nice guys like Rai just sent out desist emails, saying leave whats up there, but stop doing any more. Others have been more ruthless.

The footage is still going online, just not to one central place anymore.