this icenetwork monopoly

[sillylionlove]

I don't have ice network and dont intend to get ice network. Personally, I just don't have the time to sit in front of the computer watching ice skating and really watching it on that small of a screen is just crazy. Besides I am still in the ice age with a dial up connection since I use my computer at work more then the one at my home.

What I would really like to see is for the USFSA and ISU to come up with some type of television broadcasting schedule. There has to be some television station here in the US that would love to show figure skating.....so that way some people can watch ice network and some can watch on television.

 

[Tonichelle]

the problem is, NBC has a contract to show figure skating... and so they'd have to work out another contract with another network... that's just too much $$ involved, I would think, and really I don't see figure skating recooping the money that would be shelled out to show it, unfortunately.

until a skater whacks another skater (And since the knee thing already happened someone would have to do something even more drastic) we're not going to see an increase of coverage. Especially since the US team is 'struggling' in their placements this year. (Ice Dance just ain't gonna carry the sport)

 

[antmanb]

Especially since the US team is 'struggling' in their placements this year. (Ice Dance just ain't gonna carry the sport)

Well i don't know about that - Torvill&Dean more or less made British skating for decades. Because of them we got coverage on ordinary terestrial television of all the competitions they entered (and so they threw in the pairs, ladies and mens for good measure!) including CDs etc.

That carried on throughout the 80s and early 90s until they came back in 1993/94. We only stopped getting any decent free coverage in about 2000.

I am joking but just wanted to point out if it wasn't for T&D we would have lost our coverage far sooner than we did.

Ant

 

[Ptichka]

Centerpt1 has made an excellent point. Youtube is like other google offerings. Take google books, for instance. Some publishers have sued google for the endeavor. However, I have recently bought a few books on Amazon specifically because of google books - I have been searching for a particular prayer by Baal Shem Tov for years, and was finally able to find it through the google book search; once I found it, I ordered 2 books that had various translations of the prayer. That is an example of a publisher clearly benefiting from my access to the scanned version of their book. It's the same thing with youtube/ IN. The perfect world would have IN seriously consider how to best improve their services, so they don't "compete" with the free youtube - having life feeds as Joe has suggested would be a good place to start.

 

[Tonichelle]

Ant - that was in GB, though... in the US if it ain't ladies the media ain't gonna care.

 

[Buttercup]

in the US if it ain't ladies the media ain't gonna care.

You know, I can't figure out why that is. Dancing with the Stars is so successful and there must be a lot of interest in dance of all kinds; the US ice dancers are doing pretty well, and the skaters tend to be quite good looking (wasn't Tanith on some ESPN hottest female athletes list?) and way less error-prone. It should be drawing lots more interest than it does.

 

[Tonichelle]

because Ice Dance is considered "boring"

actually skating in general is considered "boring"

Dancing with the Stars has celebs making a fool of themselves (when I grew up we had Circus with the Stars... it was incredibly popular, but the circus circut didn't see a huge jump in popularity)...

skating is consider a 'family friendly' activity which belongs on Saturday afternoons when nothing else is on and should be just seen as gentle entertainment...

Tanith and Ben tried their darndest to keep the interest up, but a year after they won silver at the olys they were gone from the media radar.

the media does our thinking for us if the media at large doesn't care, neither do we.

 

[Buttercup]

Hmm. Well, with some smart marketing, I think it's still doable; there's far more boring things getting much higher ratings. Personally I find most of the ladies considerably less interesting these days then the men and ice dance, but I haven't lived in the US for some time and I'm free of the American media's sinister influence .

Tanith Belbin was ESPN's Hottest Female Athlete a few years ago. I can't believe I actually checked this.

 

[Tonichelle]

yes she and Sasha have both been voted by ESPN... but that's not going to get the coverage... IIRC Jamie Sale also made the list in 2002, she didn't win though.

 

[kittyjake5]

I assume youtube will give a middle finger to icenetwork and no longer take down grand prix videos. Let's see how much longer these NHK videos will last after those IN jerks complain it to youtube.

Mao Asada SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP3FBpkQRlk

Mao Asada LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-ebh8odNJg

Cynthia Phaneuf LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAxoaw2C6w0

Both of Mao's videos are down. Cynthia Phaneuf's video remains.

 

[antmanb]

Ant - that was in GB, though... in the US if it ain't ladies the media ain't gonna care.

To be honest i agree with you - it was a different era of skating - we'd had John Curry and Robin Cousins take back to back Gold medals at the Olympics, the UK were used to having someone in the medal hunt and then a very talented couple with a great background story started making the powers that be in the UK take notice. The rest, as they say, is history.

I don't really think ice dance would switch that many more people on to skating nowadays like T&D did - that's partly because of who T&D were in terms of innovators and their worldwide recognition as such.

Even if the Kerrs were to win world and olympic gold medals, i'm not sure there would be the interest in skating that there was under T&D.

It's funny i'm not sure that ladies skating has ever been that big in the UK. That might partly have to do with having no-one even close to the podium in the modern era and partly that the ladies that we have (Jenna McKorkell notwithstanding) are all fairly weak skaters who are filled with doubt when they take to the ice.

Dancing with the Stars [... ]

skating is consider a 'family friendly' activity which belongs on Saturday afternoons when nothing else is on and should be just seen as gentle entertainment...

I think that is exactly what people think of skating in a lot of countries. Just out of interest when are programs like dancing with the stars and the celebrity skating shows shown in the US? Over here in the UK strictly come dancing (the UK version of dancing with the stars) is shown on the BBC in the prime time slot with the final due to air in two weeks time during the "christmas special" big shows window.

Dancing on Ice (the celebrity skating show) is also on in the same slot but starting in the new year.

I don't know what effect the dancing program has for dancing, but as a direct result result of the skating show - thousands of people turn up at their rinks and sign up to learn to skate classes. In the new year i know that my rink will be more of a zoo than it is in the run up to christmas with kids school parties turning up by the coach load!

Ant

 

[gold12345]

Many Skate Canada videos on DailyMotion appear to be gone now. This must have happened last night, or early this morning. Do we blame Ice Network for this? Under what grounds were they allowed to have these removed?

 

[fierceyuna]

Many Skate Canada videos on DailyMotion appear to be gone now. This must have happened last night, or early this morning. Do we blame Ice Network for this? Under what grounds were they allowed to have these removed?[/QUOTE

Wanna know why?

The reason is ME. I just prove to you guy that dailymotion is not given middle finger to IN as someone here has mention. I went there and report on Fsqueen, and Rezev1 for posting video that is copyrights by us figure skating. So, please don't suprise that from now on, more video from dailymotion will be taken down OK

 

[sillylionlove]

Many Skate Canada videos on DailyMotion appear to be gone now. This must have happened last night, or early this morning. Do we blame Ice Network for this? Under what grounds were they allowed to have these removed?[/QUOTE

Wanna know why?

The reason is ME. I just prove to you guy that dailymotion is not given middle finger to IN as someone here has mention. I went there and report on Fsqueen, and Rezev1 for posting video that is copyrights by us figure skating. So, please don't suprise that from now on, more video from dailymotion will be taken down OK

I take it that you work for US figure skating....or you have way to much time on your hands!! Is this your life's work...to ban videos on the internet? Seriously though, 7 posts and you are totally starting off here on the wrong foot in my opinion. We are just figure skating fans....Most people are not trying to break the law by posting videos. I would suspect that most peope don't even realize that they are doing it. They are just trying to share videos of skaters that people can't see because they don't subscribe to some site or have the capability to use their computer to watch live skating or their country doesn't show skating on television. Perhaps instead of trying to get everyone banned...why don't you try posting rules and regulations for posting videos on you tube and daily motion (which I never heard of until right now). Or maybe you should find a different hobby. Figure skating fans are hardly criminals....maybe homeland security can use someone like you....or the computer crimes Division of the FBI!!

FYI..I don't look at videos or post videoson you tube or anywhere else ..so no reporting me.....I stick to forums....don't even have a my space or facebook account!!

 

[gold12345]

Wanna know why?

The reason is ME. I just prove to you guy that dailymotion is not given middle finger to IN as someone here has mention. I went there and report on Fsqueen, and Rezev1 for posting video that is copyrights by us figure skating. So, please don't suprise that from now on, more video from dailymotion will be taken down OK

I didn't think Eurosport videos posted by people in Europe have anything to do with US Figure Skating. What are the exact rules? I don't think US Figure Skating is allowed to take over the world.

I can't understand why you would want to do this. Dailymotion is one of the only ways for many people worldwide to have access to any figure skating at all. By taking these videos down, figure skating gets less exposure and in turn, fewer people have interest in this great sport. If you are a fan like mostly everyone on these skating forums is, I don't know why you get joy from doing this. If anything, it hurts the sport. Sad. Is it your goal to have so few figure skating fans that most countries stop televising skating all together? Because that it what I fear will happen down the road if enough people lose interest. It's going to be difficult to watch your favorite Yu-Na if nobody is televising it.

 

[sillylionlove]

I didn't think Eurosport videos posted by people in Europe have anything to do with US Figure Skating.

I can't understand why you would want to do this. Dailymotion is one of the only ways for many people worldwide to have access to any figure skating at all. By taking these videos down, figure skating gets less exposure and in turn, fewer people have interest in this great sport. If you a fan like mostly everyone on these skating forums is, I don't know why you get joy from doing this. If anything, it hurts the sport. Sad.

Very well said and I totally agree!

 

[Buttercup]

Dancing with the Stars has celebs making a fool of themselves (when I grew up we had Circus with the Stars... it was incredibly popular, but the circus circut didn't see a huge jump in popularity)...

I just noticed this part of your post. I would absolutely tune in to a new Circus with the Stars. I'm trying to think who would be most fun to watch on a show like that .

Most people are not trying to break the law by posting videos. I would suspect that most peope don't even realize that they are doing it. They are just trying to share videos of skaters that people can't see because they don't subscribe to some site or have the capability to use their computer to watch live skating or their country doesn't show skating on television.

I'm guessing some people know they may be in the wrong, but others probably haven't got a clue about it. In the latter category, I noticed that some of the videos being removed are home videos shot by spectators. I don't know if it's legal to shoot videos at an event, but if it is, would posting them fall under fair use? It seems to me that a home video is hardly the same as commercially shot and edited footage, and as such maybe does not infringe on copyright or threaten the market for the originally licensed product/service. Any legal opinions? I'm not a lawyer and this is not something I know much about.

I can't understand why you would want to do this. Dailymotion is one of the only ways for many people worldwide to have access to any figure skating at all. By taking these videos down, figure skating gets less exposure and in turn, fewer people have interest in this great sport. If you a fan like mostly everyone on these skating forums is, I don't know why you get joy from doing this.

I don't get it either. There are plenty of people I've disagreed and argued with on GS and on this thread, but I've always felt we were respectful of one another and did not take joy in being mean. It's one thing to report links - even if some of us don't like it - and quite another to gloat about it and make fun of others. Reporting links and users should be considered a necessary but unpleasant task, not an enjoyable hobby.

I wish there could be an official Youtube channel for figure skating, like some musicians have. It would be wonderful to have a one-stop place for fans that's not subject to any copyright issues.

 

[Tonichelle]

Re: Video taping events - it depends on the event... just like photos there are strict dos and don'ts during an event

however the USFSA seems to make exception for certain skater parents (but not all, which I don't agree with at all.)

 

[Mathman]

Re: Video taping events - it depends on the event... just like photos there are strict dos and don'ts during an event

I still don't understand the legal question, though. Suppose that the USFSA has a rule that says, "no photography," but you sneak a camera in and take some pictures anyway. You post them on your web site.

You have -- ooo, scary! -- gone against the wishes of the USFSA. So what? Are you a criminal? Have you violated any laws? Can the sheriff serve a warrant on you, stating that you did not obey the rules of the USFSA, so it's off to jail with you? Can anyone make you take your pictures down if you don't want to?

Just out of interest when are programs like dancing with the stars and the celebrity skating shows shown in the US?

Dancing with the Stars is the biggest thing on TV in the fall. Then American Idol takes over. DWTS is on major network TV in prime time two nights a week. When Kristi was on, the ratings for the final few shows shot though the roof, and this year they beat even that record.

It has gotten so popular that now viewers are calling in to vote for their favorite professional dancers rather than for the celebrities that they are partnering. Two of the boys -- Mark (Kristi's partner) and Derek -- formed a rock band and went on tour. One of the ladies, Julianne (Derek's sister) just released a country music album.

In contrast, the Skating with the Stars show was a ratings dud. They only did it once -- Lloyd Eisler won with some celebrity lady that I had never heard of, and after that Lloyd left his wife and took up with his dancing partner . I don't remember what time slot it had.

Kristi had a Pop Idol type competition show called The Next Skating Star. This was on a minor cable channel, as I recall. It did not attract much viewer interest.(The celebrity judges were Elvis Stoiko, who play it kind of straight, and Rudy Galindo and Oksana Grishuk, who tried to outdo each other playing the Simon Cowell/ridiculous clown role.

 

[demarinis5]

[QUOTE

Wanna know why?

The reason is ME. I just prove to you guy that dailymotion is not given middle finger to IN as someone here has mention. I went there and report on Fsqueen, and Rezev1 for posting video that is copyrights by us figure skating. So, please don't suprise that from now on, more video from dailymotion will be taken down OK

Sorry to disappoint fierceyuna but I do not believe a single word of your post.