Buffy Fans Fight Back
Fan's Rights vs. Creative Rights
FOX Attacks Buffy's Most Loyal Fans
![[The Buffy Bringers]](../pic/bringban4.jpg)
Slayme.com was one of the best, most creative and aggressively complete fan sites of the cult television hit Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. That was until Twentieth Century Fox obtained "cease and desist" orders from a judge effectively shutting the site down. Site creator J.T. Tomarazzo's crime? He provided fans with "Buffy" video clips, sounds, and script transcripts.
Twentieth Century Fox, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer's" studio, is targeting websites that feature selected copyrighted material. Fox has waged similar battles against "X-Files" sites. Fox did issue a statement saying it "appreciates" fan pages but asks that devotees "comply with guidelines that protect the creative integrity of the series."
There is no one more devoted to their cause than a fan who spends countless hours programming, compiling and tweaking a web site that will be visited only by other fanatics. When they receive cease and desist letters, however, they are completely out of their league. These folks have little money, no legal contacts and no experience fighting with huge, bureaucratic corporations like Fox.
Since most fan sites make no money, why would Fox want to alienate loyal Buffy viewers? There is one problem: Fox must negotiate permission with a show's actors, directors, musicians, and writers every time an episode is aired. But should "airing" include a short clip that is a grainy, 2- by 2-inch image on a PC screen.
But the press is totally exempt from such attacks. It is generally accepted that excerpts accompanying reviews are allowed under the "fair use" clause of copyright law. Why? Because studios, writers, actors and directors assume "press reviews" will attract viewers and hence make a show more popular. Clearly the Hollywood Guilds and Studios are idiots! Fan sites will promote a more loyal and avid audience than any tepid review Buffy has ever received.
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon is now in the awkward position of wanting to support on-line fans while also having to defer to his employer. Last summer Whedon suggested that fans with pilfered video copies of the postponed Buffy finale should "bootleg the puppy.,"
Way to go Joss!! But Fox felt differently and asked Whedon to limit his comments to"no comment."
Internet Webmaster's are attacking the problem in a variety of ways, including Operation Blackout, a proposed fan site black-out on May 13, 2000 and The Buffy Bringers advertising and fan boycott and resistance campaign coordinated by a fan group through J.T. Tomarazzo's web site.
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