Comments on: Editor’s Rant: Variety Are Thieves – Online Boycott

By: TaraLeigh

TaraLeigh — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:44:32 +0000

Hey there John, Rodney- It looks like Frosty & friends are still crediting any news borrowed from the trades, but they’re leaving off the links. That way, they aren’t violating any copyright. Is this what you’re doing also or, is it more like it reads, and you’re neither crediting nor linking? It seems as though Rodney has said he’s not using V or THR material period (which also works). Anywho- there are SO many CRITICAL creative property issues in play- it’ll be nice when someone finally has the big bucks to push through some legal precedent. Thanks for giving us those correct opinions!

By: Reed

Reed — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:56:28 +0000

What a bunch of punks. Honestly, I’m surprised Variety would take this approach. If they have the most content, wouldn’t it be in their best interest to link and be linked? I think this boycott is the right idea, John, and as you say, it will hit them where it counts. One could call it immature, but the outcome will be one of two things. 1) Variety will see the light, stop being immature themselves and change their policy. 2) They will sue and then, win or lose, will have to change their policy. So it will have the desired effect.

If they are not lifting news from other sources, they need to prove it at this point.

Incidentally, I have a sports blog as well, and ESPN Radio blatantly ripped off content from a Michigan blog last year and then that same show intentionally overloaded another blog, totally shutting it down. You see a lot of mainstream newspapers finally getting on the blogwagon (e.g. Ebert’s relatively new blog). What’s Variety’s problem.

Anyway, I say “stand firm, brothers.”

By: Sherrie

Sherrie — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:05 +0000

I didn’t know about this! But I do like to keep up good habits myself, so I’ll still credit and take the higher ground ;-) But, I’ll make the credit un-clickable, and might add a short disclaimer with credit like “(Don’t visit, they don’t credit)… or something… tho’ I’m a quiet blogger lately, so there will likely be no reason to.

By: spence

spence — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:04:38 +0000

man i really need to read my post before i submit them, left a few words out of it. sorry

By: spence

spence — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:08:38 +0000

Yeah I used to go variety a lot, until I found a website called “themovieblog.com”. Now I never go variety and come to the movieblog every day about 10 a day. You guys give me something to read at work, and I thank you. Hell I have a quick link to your site and your child “thetvshowblog.com”; they are right next to bungie and myspace. So boycotting variety is fine with me. :)

By: Erick

Erick — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:01:44 +0000

the bigger guys(variety) are part of the online community as well and report news just as much as the other guys… regardless if they break the news or not… it’s in blog format and they need to join the gang.. or bow out…. and move on to something they can keep to themselves and not give credit which is total bullshit why they don’t… they need a checkup from the neckup. lol

By: 790

790 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:50:03 +0000

Rather than an all out Boycott, couldn’t the (MovieBlog) community agree that whoever posts a Variety story first, credit the story to variety or even the author, but then don’t put up any links.

Then other sites could credit the story to the website that got the story first. Cut Variety out after that.

It would be a gentle way of telling them to play fair or we won’t either. ????

Personally I can’t wait to read the story about John kicking down the Variety booth at Comic Con. Haha.

By: The Jim Walker

The Jim Walker — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:05:24 +0000

To GUTPUNCH:

My sarcasm aside, i honestly am not completely sure what he meant by “creates” most of the entertainment news. Variety (as i said) just REPORTS the news like anyone else. If he means that they “scoop” the most news or get the most exclusives, than that may very well be true. (Which would just make their not giving credit “violation” that much more serious…)

BLEH – can you clarify?

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:29:59 +0000

Although I do agree with you on the action that you are taking. I’m also saddened by the fact that your actions are probably going to be wasted. Variety is a large publication that can afford to continue to keep stealing your stories. They are probably thinking, so what if you don’t credit us. They are talked about on TV and other mainstream media sources. They are the big fish in your little pond. I think you guys should sue, or make an attempt to bring your story into the mainstream media. Until it hurts Variety they aren’t going to care.

By: James

James — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:42:48 +0000

Not that my opinion counts for much anymore in the “Movie Website Community”, but count me out…

http://blog.filmrot.com/james/film/movie-sites-vs-the-trades-if-you-cant-beat-em-boycott-em

Doesn’t anyone ever learn? Pissing matches on the Internet never end well for anyone involved. They just kind of, flame out.