iCaught Spikes Funny or Die Traffic
Another reminder of the promotional power of television: after Will Ferrell’s The Landlord was featured on ABC’s iCaught tonight, Funny or Die is the top tracked search on Google, a sign that even Hollywood stars can’t generate nearly the attention online that TV can.
But what’s really interesting is the exploitation of UGC by mainstream media for little if any compensation to the producers. In addition to airing between ads on national TV, videos are re-posted behind pre-roll ads on ABC’s site without attribution to the original creators. (Funny or Die is a rare exception due to their established presence)
This reversal has its roots in the power of mainstream media and their deep pockets to shape what is now a grey legal area in their best interest. In the wake of recent controversy following Viacom’s DMCA action against Christopher Knight, the double standard of Mainstream media using user generated media for profit needs to be re-examined with the public interest in mind.