YouTube user "aretired" posted a clip from Thursday's CBS Evening News showcasing Jason McElwain, the autistic highschool basketball player who scored 6-3 pointers in the final four minutes of the game. The video clip shot up to #15 in alltime viewings on YouTube with 1.5 million hits in just three days -- then, it was suddenly and inexplicably pulled.

User "aretired" reposted the clip and was again pulled within a day, still no explanations.

CBS sent DMCA complaints for not just that McElwain clip, but all 11 of the user's other CBS-related clips that had up till now gone fairly unnoticed, by anyone. And, despite their huffing and puffing and pulling over a 2-minute feel-good piece of the year, you can still catch your fill of Oprah, Letterman, Degeneres, Dr. Phil and other CBS content at YouTube.

Reader comment: Gaynelle Grover says

As the parent of autistic identical twins who play on an NJB basketball team, I found this story incredibly moving. I wasn't alone. The link to the spot on YouTube made it's way around various autism online discussion groups--and undoubtedly disappointed many when it was pulled. However, you might let readers know it's available on Google Video: Link

hbo's real sports ran an almost identical story last year on a special ed student that got in a game and knocked down some 3s. watching the CBS piece was like watching a rerun. Link

posted by Xeni Jardin at 10:06:48 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments