MTV censors filesharing sites in Weird Al's "Don't Download This Song"

In an e-mail message...Mr. Yankovic wrote that he had bleeped out the names to the file-sharing sites in his song...after MTV “told me that they would refuse to air my video” otherwise. “Instead of subtly removing or obscuring the words in the track,” he wrote, “I made the creative decision to bleep them out as obnoxiously as possible, so that there would be no mistake I was being censored.”

I'm surprised more people haven't pointed this out, MTV's censoring of the name of torrent-sharing websites has nothing to do with political correctness or that torrent sharing is "bad." It's in MTV's own interest to censor the names of those sites; as flyingkick pointed out they could be sued by the RIAA (although I doubt they would win considering the fact that we have free speech), but even if there were no lawsuit, it would cause a strain in MTV's relationship with big record companies and the musicians they represent.

MTV isn't as edgy as people might expect. They're a part of a corporation, and corporations don't like to do things that even have the slightest possibility of losing them money.

MTV can censor whatever they want- they're a private corporation.

Ultimately, it's counterproductive. They are drawing even more attention to the very thing they're trying to censor.

I think that any kind of censorship is bad. It's like what itunes does with his music videos, putting a blank where singers say the F word. I find that appauling to say the least!

I remember a few years ago, a comedian named Patrice O'Neil had a stand-up special on Comedy Central. This was around the time when that african american sniper was on the loose. He made a joke about it saying that after they found out he was black, you could Google the word sniper and find quote, "Nigga in a Buick".

The point and kicker being, Comedy Central actually cencored Buick because they didn't want the car company to think that they were associating them with that kind of behavior or the events that happened. As stupid as it sounds, Comedy Central was just playing it safe because people will find the smallest things to sue you over and will not hesitate to do so.

I've always felt Weird Al and Al Gore should form an Abbot and Costello-like physical comedy duo...

I am a music junkie and think that musicians should make some doe for the great music they create but I am not opposed to downloading free tunes. The consumer goods market has been raping us for years....I say free music is a great "middle finger" back. Just try going to a Coldplay, AC/DC or any other "hot" concert out there...have you seen what the ticket prices are?!?! It is complete price gouging.....just try and pay a reasonable price for a good ticket...its not going to happen.

MTV is worried they might get sued from the RIAA if they don't censor.

First Neil Young, now Weird Al?

MTV seems to have a grudge against file sharing.....

MTV have destroyed Moral Values of a generation, now they censor the immoral practice of stealing music over the internet, only because they do not profit from it.

I didn't know about Limewire. Wow!! ;)

So MTV lets us see lots of skin, but not the name of an arguably illegal company?

No. Censorship is wrong. And this is just plain stupid, since it just brings more attention to the site they don't want us to know about!

MTV is a stupid channel, the stupidest on Earth, right along with E!. They censored out the word "drugs" in Nickelback's "Rockstar." I know that the network is aimed more at stupid teenagers, but what stupid teenager doesn't know what drugs are? Also, who says this: "That song said 'drugs,' I should go buy some crack so I can be cool!"?

google: Torrents...Shazam free shit!

I'd wager a guess that this is the first time a Weird Al song has been bleeped...

They are in the right on this one. I feel sorry for people who use those programs instead of torrents.

The reckon this songs stupidity, or lameness will surely ensure that no one, or very few people, will download this song.

It's funny ...

The sites are common knowledge ... but it's their network, so they can do what they want ... it won't help them becoming irrelevant though ...

This is the PC world you people created.

Welcome.

You do wrong someone will sue. People accept it. MTV is just dealing in it.

This is the same MTV that used to "pixel out" marijuana images while showing raping and killing. Do they even show videos anymore? How can they have an awards show without ever showing videos? MTV is lame.

Have you heard the uncensored version of Amish Paradise, pretty raunchy...