[k-mcgrady]

Why would they remove the watermarks? I often see on the news footage that comes from other news companies with the watermark still on. e.g. during a big event in the US that happens without warning the initial footage on UK channels will often contain ABC/NBC watermarks.

[kristofferR]

Personally I think the watermarking on this video is a little obsessive, but my opinion doesn't matter. I'm asking a hypothetical question, what I think or what the news channels actually ends up doing isn't important.

If they actually had removed it (for whatever reason, justified or not), would that be legal?

[k-mcgrady]

I think so. If I remember correctly I saw this footage on another site yesterday without watermarks. I think it was taken by one of the human rights workers and then was used by several news agencies who put their won watermarks on it.

Edit: I was wrong, the BBC used it here and covered one of the watermarks with their own. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23293756 (about 50 secs into the video).