Quote Originally Posted by basschick
the difference is YOU build the website. you produced it, in fact.

the movie theater manager simply receives the videos, and screens them. he is not an active part of the process, nor is he likely to be responsible for any decisions regarding - well - anything.
I agree with your interpretation of the theater, but I disagree that webmasters can be a producer of already existing works unless a license is granted allowing them to take credit for the works and/or changing the work in a manner in which they can now take credit for.

Let's say I license a video from Bel Ami to show online. I'm not going to edit it. I'm not going to make any decisions about the work itself. I'm just going to show it to surfers "as is." I'm telling them it's from Bel Ami, now enjoy their film. How is that not an online movie theater?

I completely understand that if you take someone else's work and republish it in a book or website that you are now a publisher of that work and can take credit for this new presentation as a whole. BUT.... Sponsor content and leased feeds do not come with licenses stating that you now own the works to do with as you please. The original owners are merely allowing you to show/screen THEIR WORK to surfers. Again, same thing as a movie theater.