Mark Memmott at USA Today reports that MSNBC did ease its rules for use of the Republican debate video — and good for them. The no-internet restriction was taken out. The other rules were not as direct as CNN’s no-restrictions-whatsoever rule, so Memmott questioned MSNBC’s spokesman.

MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines just e-mailed us to say that the news network did change its usage rules before it hosted the first two debates. MSNBC’s new language (in this case, as stated before the GOP debate):

News organizations, including radio, network television, cable television, local television, and news and information websites may use excerpts of “The Republican Candidates’ Debate” only subject to the following restrictions:

1. On television, an unobstructed onscreen credit “MSNBC / POLITICO.com” must appear during each debate excerpt and remain on screen for the entire excerpt. On the internet, video must stream with the unobstructed credit as described above, or links to MSNBC.COM and POLITICO.com for the duration of the stream.

A later exchange:

Gaines of MSNBC says in an e-mail to us that:

“News and information websites can use the video with the same restrictions as broadcast outlets. So, yes, they can download and have on their site and edit. Just like other television networks.”

Still to be determined, we presume: exactly what is a “news and information website.”

Memmott also heard from FoxNews that they are not opening up their debate footage. I put in emails to a FoxNews exec to make sure that is the latest word; haven’t heard back yet.