Hasbro Is taking down MLP episodes from youtube once more

[DerpyWhooves]

And this time it may not be parasprites, it can be the real deal.

Source: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/08/m ... utube.html

Brace yourselves everybrony, because whoever has not access to the Hub or Treehouse TV are going to have a hard time dealing with this mess.

Someone on reddit is currently writting to Faust, let's await for her response.

UPDATE: A staff acknowledged of the video removal, though it may be a generic copy-pasta response they also said to watch MLP on ITUNES, where you have to pay for all content, what the hay!

Source: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/08/y ... being.html

[janglehooves]

Ah, good old internet drama... I don't think there's been any official confirmation that it's Hasbro, in fact it looks much more like parasprites. I can't see much point in hassling Lauren Faust over it either, seeing as she's no longer involved in the show and it would be someone else's call anyway. Let's not get too carried away until we know what's going on eh? (plus I thought everyone had downloaded them all by now anyway...)

[Mojo]

Ah, good old internet drama... I don't think there's been any official confirmation that it's Hasbro, in fact it looks much more like parasprites. I can't see much point in hassling Lauren Faust over it either, seeing as she's no longer involved in the show and it would be someone else's call anyway. Let's not get too carried away until we know what's going on eh? (plus I thought everyone had downloaded them all by now anyway...)

I did, because you can never, EVER depend on Youtube!

I wonder if Hasbro made this move as a proactive step towards the release of Season 1 on DVD?

That's the only way this move makes sense.

[RuqyoHighsong]

I wonder if Hasbro made this move as a proactive step towards the release of Season 1 on DVD?

That's the only way this move makes sense.

Oh please let it be so. If Hasbro does not release it on DVD, I will be seriously disappointed at their lack of common sense.

[brianblackberry]

And this time it may not be parasprites, it can be the real deal.

Source: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/08/m ... utube.html

Brace yourselves everybrony, because whoever has not access to the Hub or Treehouse TV are going to have a hard time dealing with this mess.

Someone on reddit is currently writting to Faust, let's await for her response.

UPDATE: A staff acknowledged of the video removal, though it may be a generic copy-pasta response they also said to watch MLP on ITUNES, where you have to pay for all content, what the hay!

Source: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/08/y ... being.html

I didn't see any real evidence here that Hasbro is behind the removals at all. As mentioned on Equestria Daily, the Youtube flagging system is extremely and I do emphases extremely exploitable to trolls, butthurt users, and other abusers. Youtube almost always takes down first and asks questions later.

[REDACTED]

Oh dear, I hope they don't! Or else I won't have any way to watch it other than the Hub! Except for my folder of every episode.

I dunno if I'll get in trouble for this, or anything. Sorry if I'm stepping on any tails! Here 'goes! Just use the Pirate Bay. There's a good one that's 4.4 GB with .avi files. That way, you can watch even if it isn't on the Hub at the time, or you have no internet.

{L_OFFTOPIC} :

On another note, I'm Oatmeal now! Go me!

[Chonico]

Wow, I will admit I am glad I have them on iTunes so I don't have to worry and I can get my pony fix AND overdose at my leisure. But still, that kind of sucks. If not for the episodes on youtube, I would have never fallen for ponies in the first place.

HOW will we continue to convert the rest of the world into Bronies?! HOW?!

We need Pinkie Pie and her one pony parade to get rids of these parasprites

[Dessa]

The episodes will be findable. Given the passion and work ethic of this community, there will bep lenty of illicit copies floating around. The real downer, if this is legit, is that it's harder to get NEW people interested. Easy Youtube access meant that all you had to do was send a friend a link, now it's money.

Thing is, much of the community will probably be buying the DVDs anyway. Not only are there a lot of people who actively want to support the show, watching it on television without a purchase requires burning DVDs, which is an annoying process. The potential for DVD extras makes it even more tempting. Eliminating youtube access would come with a risk of alienating some of the fanbase and dampening enthusiasm.

Certainly, I think it will be smart for them to kill youtube vids at SOME point, but this show ahas a lot more growth potential, and marketing the show (in this case by facilitating word of mouth, which is the wet dream of any marketing team) will pay off more in the long run.

I sure do hope it's parasprites, but I don't fear being unable to see new episodes (and i have all the old ones on my hard drive in 720p).

[RarityDash]

Yeah... unless this really is Hasbro being proactive, which I doubt, considering I'm pretty sure I recall them voicing their support of the community in the not too distant past, I don't see whoever keeping the ponies off Youtube very long. I don't think we have anything to worry about really.

[Autumn]

Whilst it's nice to have this infinite resource of easy-to-view media on sites like YouTube or nabbed from a file-host or torrent, you should all be buying episodes to support those that make the series.

Only watching pirated copies doesn't add to viewing figures and viewing figures are what dictates weather or not to continue producing.

If you're old enough to buy things on your own, don't be tight and at least purchase 1 episode to show the producers you care and support the work.

If you're not old (or competent) enough to be able to make purchases yourself, consider asking your legal guardian.

As unpopular as it may make me, I actually fully support Hasbro protecting their intellectual properties in this way.

Clips and fan-made material are absolutely fine. WHOLE episodes ripped and distributed... eh... that's someone's hard work.

[Dessa]

Well, yes and no. Toy sales are another measure of the show's succes, but yeah, hasbro is in the cable biz now, so viewed ip is still very important. They're in their rights, and there is some sense, to blocking YouTube views, but I wonder if this show would be half as successful without it. Mlp sales are up, and the brony phenomenon seems barely to have scratched the mainstream. Their core demographic, little girls, are probably onboard either way. Adults? I'm sure they'd like more of us.

It'ultimately a judgment call as to when they shouldmkill you tubes, but I agree that it's smartest for them to do it at SOME point.

[brianblackberry]

As unpopular as it may make me, I actually fully support Hasbro protecting their intellectual properties in this way.

Clips and fan-made material are absolutely fine. WHOLE episodes ripped and distributed... eh... that's someone's hard work.

Of course we don't know if it is Hasbro, this sort of thing has happened before and it turned out to be people trollin' . Youtube abuse and DCMA claim system is basically broken, extremely exploitable, and thus ripe with abuse. What we are seeing (especially with the haphazard method channels are being taken down) is probably a repeat.

I am sure Hasbro and/or the Hub have been aware of the full episode videos for quite some time. They purposely have done nothing about them, because like many artists and other producers of creative works, they see a benefit from allowing all this free viewing, namely the fact it creates new fans who will purchase others of their products. When a DVD/Blu-Ray comes out, it'll likely sell like hotcakes, partially because so many became fans through free watching of the episodes on Youtube or Synctube.

I think Neil Gaiman is right in his view of people putting up stuff for free:

Thanks to my art being all over the place for free, people are contacting me for paid commissions.

[Mojo]

Whilst it's nice to have this infinite resource of easy-to-view media on sites like YouTube or nabbed from a file-host or torrent, you should all be buying episodes to support those that make the series.

Only watching pirated copies doesn't add to viewing figures and viewing figures are what dictates weather or not to continue producing.

If you're old enough to buy things on your own, don't be tight and at least purchase 1 episode to show the producers you care and support the work.

If you're not old (or competent) enough to be able to make purchases yourself, consider asking your legal guardian.

As unpopular as it may make me, I actually fully support Hasbro protecting their intellectual properties in this way.

Clips and fan-made material are absolutely fine. WHOLE episodes ripped and distributed... eh... that's someone's hard work.

Respectfully, I beg to differ.

YouTube exposure actually HELPS increase the value of Hasbro's product. Not all homes in America (or the world for that matter) have access to Hub TV, so the eps on YouTube give the opportunity for others to experience the joy and magic that is MLP FiM! I have heard stories in America about Business Exectutives in three piece suits watching MLP eps on their PC's at airports! I know when I first discovered the show, I watched the eps I missed on YouTube to catch up!

Secondly, the availability of eps on YouTube help to 'wet the appettites' of consumers to BUY the eps when they come out on DVD. I, for one, looks forward to the time Hasbro will release Season 1! Sure, I have all the eps recorded, but still, who WOULDN'T want to buy the OFFICIAL Season 1 when it comes out?

The sheer fact that the Hasbro execs are AWARE of the near cult following the show has garnered is a tribute to the strong internet presence the show had maintained. You'd think those execs would want to ENCOURAGE this trend rather than DISCOURAGE it.

It's not about 'stealing intellectual property', it's all about 'selling' the product, the product in this case being MLP FiM.

[Dessa]

It comes down to the wishes of the creators and publishers. There are potential benefits and drawbacks to various means of distribution, and the factors in play can be quite complex.

I think of a personal situation: when Lady Gaga's new cd came out, it was leaked early. In my eagerness to hear the album, I downloaded it, but swore that I would buy it when it came out. Real life intervened and I just didn't have the 15 bucks or whatever to buy when it hit. Had I been unable to buy it for a month or two, I might have gotten my fill from the pirates alone (although even here, "pirating" is a questionable term, since all of the tracks were released in a farmville promo for free). I lucked out, and amazon offered the cd for a dollar as a promotion for a new feature, so I searched the couch cushions and ponied up.

Still, there are circumstances where sales ARE lost, and in some cases, they can be significant.

One thought that fills my speculation is that in the era of consolidation, piracy offers a check to replace the dwindling role of competition in the free market. True, there is no competing with the price "free," but people's reasons for buying instead of pirating go well beyond price.

I must say, this is a much more interesting discussion than the usual piracy talk, which is "pirates are all thieves who are destroying the world.

All things in moderation applies here, I think.

[themeisterpony]

My personal stance on piracy aside, I think Youtube has definitely boosted the popularity of MLP:FiM. As stated before, it makes the show much more accessible. At the same time, Hasbro really doesn't get anything out of it, at least not directly. I suppose they might make sales in merch, but I have to wonder how much it helps sales as opposed to hurting them. There isn't really much to say one way or the other, at least, nothing that I've heard about. A show could be popular, but if no one's willing to pay for it, then the number of views on youtube is more or less moot... Then again, if merch sales are through the roof because of youtube, then the episodes did help.

To be honest, I don't get why they haven't just become youtube partners already. Stick some adds on the those episodes, and they could be making tons of money and bronies could still get their episodes for free. Everypony wins.

[Dessa]

To be honest, I don't get why they haven't just become youtube partners already. Stick some adds on the those episodes, and they could be making tons of money and bronies could still get their episodes for free. Everypony wins.

Hasbro seems kinda stuck in the 20th century. They're a HUGE company, so I suppose they'd be slow-moving, and they can afford to be conservative, but I think we'd all like to see them get savvy to the 2010s, and it'd probably do them a few favors as well.

[Ancre]

At the same time, Hasbro really doesn't get anything out of it, at least not directly. I suppose they might make sales in merch, but I have to wonder how much it helps sales as opposed to hurting them. There isn't really much to say one way or the other, at least, nothing that I've heard about.

Well, I know correlation doesn't imply causality, and that I am really awful at understanding financial reports, but Equestria Daily posted a few blog entries about how successful MLP:FiM is from a commercial point of view.

There's this article : July 18, Hasbro CEO discussion

And this one : Nightly Roundup 56 Scroll a bit to find Spike and the economist Brony's financial report.

So far it seems that the show is doing very well at making money. The cartoons seems to act like a big advertisement on the internet, and the toy sales are rising by a lot. Oddly enough there seems to be no real mention of the accidental demographic (us) that the show gathered.

I thought this would be interesting to add to the discussion !

[Snowmeow]

Nah... I knew someday this thing would occur, and I've previously saved the episodes in my hard drive.

God (And Celestia) bless ATube Catcher!

[Bizor]

I have all the episodes on my mp3 player; I'm glad I had the foresight to avoid this.

Can't trust those silly copyright trigger-happy executive.

[Angie Cakes]

mm, my little pony isn't available on Itunes in Canada yet, as far as I know -_- I would defiantly buy episodes if I could... but as long as I'm able to see new episodes before they get taken down, I'm fine

[Wysteria]

Call me crazy, but methinks Hasbro is a parasprite.

[Doctor_Scraps]

It would appear setting MLP onto my DVR was a wise move.

[WildfireBlake]

I don't think it's Hasbro, as the old My Little Pony Tales is also being taken down due to copyright to "Hasbro Studios" even though they never had any part of Tales. It was made by Sunbow Productions and Graz Entertainment, and just based off Hasbro's toys. They literally had no part in it whatsoever, so I'm not sure why they would have power over those seasons. Something smells fishy, and it isn't the river.

[ToothpasteThy]

If Hasbro IS taking down episodes, then they are obviously /extremely stupid/. Seriously. They wouldn't be getting a third of their My Little Pony sales if the episodes weren't up on the Internet. Hasbro really needs to start firing people in their legal department.

This has been Toothpaste's bold and harsh rage statement for the day. Thank you, and have a nice day~

[SunsetSombra]

Pfft, they'll never figure out that dailymotion has all the episodes more or less available too...silly folks! XD