Video website YouTube has defied a request by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences that it remove all clips from Sunday's Oscar telecast. Several segments of the show, including host Ellen DeGeneres' opening monologue and musical numbers featuring Will Ferrell and Beyonce Knowles, have been among the most-viewed content this week.

Ferrell's musical lament about the lack of recognition for comedies, sung with Jack Black and John C. Reilly, has received over 250,000 views. Despite press reports claiming the site had complied with the request from the Academy, the unauthorized clips were still available as of Wednesday afternoon. Academy Executive Administrator Ric Robertson says the organization had asked that the content be pulled "to help manage the value of our telecast and our brand".

The official Oscar.com website features a five-minute clip of highlights from the three hour, 51 minute show, but does not include the opening monologue or musical numbers in their entirety. Last month, Viacom asked YouTube to delete more than 100,000 unauthorized clips of its programming.