Yes, it’s true, Paramount/CBS had been issuing takedown notices to YouTube users who were uploading bootleg copies of Stephen Colbert‘s recent return to hosting an episode of the public access series “Only in Monroe.” But the reason wasn’t as nefarious as one might think: It’s simply because the show is copyrighted and it already has a home — Colbert’s brand new YouTube channel.
However, given the outcry over the notices, CBS said it will stand down and stop any further action on takedowns, at least for now.
“Stephen Colbert’s return to Monroe in the ‘Only in Monroe’ episode was financed and produced by CBS Studios and was posted on Stephen Colbert’s YouTube channel in collaboration with Monroe Community Media and ‘The Late Show’s’ YouTube channels,” a CBS spokesperson said in a statement. “As is our regular practice, we send copyright notices to unauthorized websites that post copyrighted content from CBS and our network/studio talent such as Stephen Colbert. However, for this episode, we have decided to waive further enforcement of this standard industry practice until additional review.”
Colbert launched his new YouTube channel a day ago, and so far he has just one video up: His May 22 hosting gig on “Only in Monroe,” the public access show from Monroe Community Media. Here’s the rub: Others on YouTube beat him to the punch with their own uploads, including a site called “The Desk,” which has 620,621 views of Colbert’s “Only in Monroe” stint. In comparison, Colbert’s YouTube page has around 392,486 views of the same video.
