CBS Refuses To Preserve Jack Benny Footage

goosman writes "The president of the International Jack Benny Fan Club had the opportunity to review some holdings of the CBS vaults while assisting them with some transfers. In the vaults she found 25 shows on film that were unreleased, but in the public domain. The IJBFC offered to pay for the digitization and preservation of these shows; they got a letter of enthusiastic support from the Benny estate. CBS has so far refused to allow this preservation to happen." BoingBoing and TechDirt have both covered this act of cultural destruction.

Correct Response

[Mr Pippin]

I think the appropriate is:

(long pause) WELL!

I best remember him as an mst3k punchline

[jollyreaper]

Whenever the camera focused on an old-timey radio the bots would call out "The Jack Benny Program!"

I'm double-dating myself, first for referencing mst3k and second for getting the joke. But dating yourself is legal in west virginia.

Well!

[Alien Being]

Those films can't be in the public domain. They're only 39 years old.

Re:I best remember him as an mst3k punchline

[PCM2]

Uh uh uh, let's see, uhhh.... "That wouldn't be so bad, but it looks like he got stuck with the ugly one."

Oh come on, that was at least a single.

Poor NBC

[istartedi]

Poor NBC. They can't even hold the title of "biggest jerks" for more than a week. Congratulations, CBS, the new champs.

Re:Eminent domain

[Anonymous Coward]

They can probably use the Patriot Act, it can do everything.

Re:Correct Response

[multisync]

Now cut that out

Re:Read the article, slashdot summary is wrong

[schnablebg]

I'm not sure. When did you stop beating your wife?

Re:Not that my opinion matters

[Anonymous Coward]

So how's that Massachusetts senatorial election working out for you?

Re:Well!

[AgentBurbank]

Those films can't be in the public domain. They're only 39 years old.

Perhaps CBS is just THINKING IT OVER!

Re:Not that my opinion matters

[everynerd]

What an age we live in when this is modded "informative".

Re:Not that my opinion matters

[Nocterro]

These informative mods always make me imagine a moderator sitting stunned behind a monitor: "Of course! CBS could be composed of horses!

Fast forward 50 years; NBC vault

[pbrooks100]

Archivist: 'These Conan O'Brien DVDs of the Tonight Show are part of our national history; part of our culture! Its a miracle that these discs have lasted this long. We've got to preserve this stuff!'

NBC President Jay Leno (consisting of head in jar): 'Who is this Conan guy, and why should I care?'