A couple of week’s ago Charlie Brooker wrote about the fun madness that is Bedroom TV – a channel where members of the public video themselves lip-syncing to pop songs.
Fast forward a week or so, and we put together a leaving video for a much loved colleague who was departing after more than ten years. You can see the result here:
Anyway, suddenly putting it Bedroom TV seemed like a fun idea.
Now there are a couple of issues – I didn’t ask permission of everybody for putting the video into the public domain. I don’t suppose anyone would mind, but it was there.
Yet the pull of seeing the video on TV – albeit a channel high in the 300s on Sky – but then I read the terms and conditions for submitting videos. Here’s an extract, with my emphasis on a few points:
2. You give us all consents necessary for us to edit, produce and broadcast your image, voice and likeness in any manner we see fit for the purposes of creating the Programme and to use and exploit the Footage for any purpose/action whatsoever that Bedroom TV wants, throughout the world and in all media (whether now in existence or developed in the future), forever. You agree that we will be the sole owner of the worldwide copyright and all other rights/interests in the Footage and you waive any rights/interest that you may have in the Footage. Where any rights vest in you, you irreversibly transfer (by way of current or future transfer) such rights to us absolutely, worldwide and in all media (whether now in existence or developed in the future), forever.
3. We will be entitled to sub-license, transfer or assign our rights hereunder to any successor, subsidiary, affiliate and/or any person acquiring all or substantially all of Bedroom TV’s assets, provided that Bedroom TV remains responsible for its obligations in this letter, where such assignee/transferee is not responsible. This release shall be binding on you, your heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.
So in other words if I were to upload this to Bedroom TV I’m giving up any rights I might have in it forever more!
Even for a pointless leaving video, that sounds like an extreme state of affairs, and there’s no way I could agree to that. I couldn’t take the video back or delete it; I’d have no chance to ever prosper from it (not that I’d want to given the soundtrack isn’t entirely, erm, original).
My advice to teenagers of all ages with video cameras and camera phones is to not upload your productions to this TV channel. Surely now we’re in an age where we don’t just give our rights to products away – we’re in an age where YouTube will share ad revenue with video creators, always assuming those videos aren’t made up of clips from last night’s Dancing on Ice or whatever.
Bedroom TV
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4 responses to “Bedroom TV”
The site actually does allow you to regain rights if you ask for your video to be removed. They transfer the rights back to you. Besides as you stated the music to the videos is hardly original and as such their is little profit that could be garnered from keeping the videos yourself. I myself use btv for showcasing my abilities in regards to video editing (unlike the majority who use it simply for lip synchs). For those interested I’m LsTrOfSmG on btv.
Dear God I just noticed the completely idiotic school boy error I made in that last comment. I meant ‘there is’ not ‘their is’.
Yes, I know, I’m an idiot.
Thanks for the note Alex. I guess that they’re just using an unnecessarily restrictive standard set of T&Cs which some lawyer drew up for them.
Fun though it might be submit this, I think I’ll hold off this time around. If I come up with something suitable then maybe I’ll upload it.
No problemo, I thought you’d also be interested to see that they’ve updatetd their terms and conditions to make it clear that you retain the rights to your video. See attached quote from their terms and conditions:
‘C. For clarity, you retain all of your ownership rights in your User Submissions. However, by submitting User Submissions to Bedroom TV, you hereby grant Bedroom TV a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, broadcast and perform the User Submissions in connection with the Bedroom TV Website, Bedroom TV channel and Bedroom TV’s (and its successors’ and affiliates’) business, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the Bedroom TV Website (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels. You also hereby grant each user of the Bedroom TV Website a non-exclusive license to access your User Submissions through the Website, and to use, reproduce, distribute, display and perform such User Submissions as permitted through the functionality of the Website and under these Terms of Service. The above licenses granted by you in User Videos terminate within a commercially reasonable time after you remove or delete your User Videos from the Bedroom TV Service. You understand and agree, however, that Bedroom TV may retain, but not display, distribute, or perform, server copies of User Submissions that have been removed or deleted. Bedroom TV will remove all User Submissions that have been removed or deleted from the website within 3 days and will remove all User Submissions that have been removed or deleted from the channel within 3 days. The above licenses granted by you in User Comments are perpetual and irrevocable.’
It’s still not ideal but it’s better than it was.