NASCAR blocks the news

In Blog, Cultureby Fedayn2 Comments

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An horrific crash at today’s NASCAR race in Florida saw a multi-car crash with at least one car disintegrating on impact with the grandstand fencing. The debris including at least one tyre left 33 spectators injured, at least 15 hospitalised some with burns. However footage of the crash has been removed from YouTube for ‘copyright violation’.

NASCAR is dictating what is newsworthy. By removing amateur or press footage on the premise that they own copyright over what is filmed in their arena the sporting organisation is taking a step too far in our opinion. They are trying to whitewash the accident from archives. This would be like the football federations blocking footage of hooliganism or tragedies such as Heysel or Hillsborough on the grounds that they own the copyright.

Deadspin.com have managed to get a copy of a frightening spectator video that NASCAR have taken down from YouTube. The American news networks have also played down the injuries not even leading with the story but rather leading with a story about the female driver Danica Patrick. The specifics of the injuries are almost impossible to verify such a good whitewashing job has been done.

See the full video from Deadspin here

Below is the NASCAR official release video:

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