The Bringers
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| See also: | FAQ page; WebCite Original site hosted on SlayMe.com (archived link) |
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The Bringers was a fan organization in organized in 1999 as "Buffy Bringers." Shortly afterwards, it changed its name to "The Bringers."
By March 2000, the organization had 376 members.[1] Laura Hale was the media contact person.
Origins
"Buffy Bringers" was created by Solo84 in October of 1999 "to deal with the "FOX-ing" of several Buffy sites. When FOX moved on, we wanted to keep fighting, not just for Buffy fans but for all people that enjoy being fans on-line...Our website was hosted by SlayMe.com, but it was lost when SlayMe disappeared in September 2000. In December of 2000 we moved into our new site at our new domain, www.bringers.org." [2]
This is is not about seizing episodes of Buffy and using them for personal gain! This is about multimedia quotes taken from Buffy shows or transcripts of Buffy shows which NO ONE could argue are a substitute for the shows themselves. To the contrary, they stimulate interest in and a desire to view the shows themselves. And as for pictures specifically? In a multimedia medium like the web, pictures or short video clips from the show are nothing more than references to the show similar to those which a reviewer might make in a magazine, newspaper or TV news program. To deny us the right to make these quotes infringes upon our rights! Not those of FOX.
Function
This group was dedicated to "protecting fans and fan sites on-line". Their actions included "dealing with corporate copyright holders threatening fan webmasters with legal action over content/media", as well as "domain name disputes that affect fans, and other activities which threaten the existence and enjoyment of fans on the Internet." They also offered to evaluate C&D situations, and at one point were "also working on developing a list of lawyers who will assist fans for reasonable fees."[3]
The organization also promoted letter writing campaigns to the studio and to TV and newspaper editors. The template letter to media editors is currently unavailable, but pointed out that “the broader media, which has certainly had its share of corporate efforts to infringe upon its First Amendment rights, should take notice.”[4]
From the FAQ Page
Who are the Bringers?We are a group of people who care about protecting fans and fan sites on-line. Although our tastes, ages and experiences differ greatly, we all share a common belief that the ways fans express themselves via the Internet is part of what makes the web so valuable. There are Bringers from the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, and many other far-flung locales.
What is your mission? Broadly, our mission is to protect the rights of fans on-line. In the past this has meant primarily dealing with corporate copyright holders threatening fan webmasters with legal action over content/media. It has recently expanded to include domain name disputes that affect fans, and other activities which threaten the existence and enjoyment of fans on the Internet.
What are your objectives? We want webmasters to be educated about their rights and we want corporations to cease attacking with their biggest and bluntest weapons. We want copyright holders to talk with and respect the Internet fans. We want the courts to clarify current law by ruling on fan issues and lawmakers to balance the needs of the fans with the needs of the fanned.
What exactly do you do?
We collect information. Fandom is segmented, so when something happens to the Simpsons fans, the X-Men fans may not hear about it. We educate people. We try to present information on our site and in our newsletter, both about current happenings and about the laws themselves. We raise awareness of the issue, both on-line and in other media. We strive to be a presence on-line so that people know where to turn to if they find themselves in a situation we could help with. We also contact traditional media about the issue of fansites in general and specific events as they come up. We provide support to threatened fans and fansites. We can resurrect fallen sites, serve as a ready-made action group to write letters, or provide advice based on our knowledge of past events. We contact corporations and individuals that are being "anti-fan" and plead our case, try to educate them on the consequences of their actions.
References
- ^ Vampire Slayers Arise, LA Weekly Article, March 2000.
- ^ its FAQ page, Archived version
- ^ The Bringers FAQ. Dated 2001. Accessed November 29, 2008.
- ^ Vampire Slayers Arise, LA Weekly Article, March 2000.