DailyTech - YouTube Told to Remove Viacom Clips

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Internet YouTube Told to Remove Viacom Clips
Michael Hoffman (Blog) - February 3, 2007 4:35 PM

24 comment(s) - last by Oregonian2.. on Feb 5 at 8:13 PM

An agreement could not be reached between the two companies, so Viacom has requested YouTube to take down all Viacom content on the popular video sharing site

Viacom yesterday requested that YouTube remove 100,000 unauthorized video clips from the site after on-going licensing negotiations failed. "It has become clear that YouTube is unwilling to come to a fair market agreement that would make Viacom content available to YouTube users," Viacom said in a public statement issued on Friday. It is unknown if the two sides are going to try to negotiate another agreement in the future.

According to an outside consultant, YouTube users watched Viacom-owned content more than 1.2 billion times on YouTube. Viacom currently owns cable networks MTV, Nickeloden, and VH1 as well as the Paramount Pictures movie studio.

YouTube plans on complying with the request from Viacom. "It's unfortunate that Viacom will no longer be able to benefit from YouTube's passionate audience, which has helped to promote many of Viacomon's shows," said a YouTube spokesman.

In November, YouTube removed 30,000 files when the Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers complained that the site needed to do a better job checking for copyrighted content. The company is also turning over the identity of a user who uploaded four "24" episodes before they aired on television.

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Hrm..

By Meklaar on 2/4/2007 1:43:02 PM , Rating: 2

Well, I guess it was inevitable. There's lots of things on YouTube that are going to make the media giants angry, just like any other program. I suppose there is no way to ever stop piracy with todays means.

Ah well. Give a hand to ViaCom for trying.

RE: Hrm..

By Alexstarfire on 2/4/2007 2:12:00 PM , Rating: 3

Inevitable, yet stupid. Free to watch if you have some form of TV, and who doesn't?, and they don't care, yet if you watch it free on the internet they bitch about it.

You'll probably talk about commercials I'm sure, but you also have to know that a lot of people just skip over commercials these days because of PVRs/DVRs. I nearly don't even watch a show if I don't already have it recorded.

The thing with the 24 episodes is completely justified though since they hadn't even been aired on TV yet.

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RE: Hrm..

By MrSmurf on 2/4/2007 2:26:26 PM , Rating: 3

No it's not stupid. Over the air broadcasters have to pay to air shows (that how studios make a lot their money). YouTube is doing it for free therefore studios are losing that money. Moreover, if you watch it on YouTube for free, you're probably not watching the local station and taking some of their revenue.

Also there is no way to track who is watch them on YouTube which can cut into profits off of commericals and such and even make or break a show.

And there is still commercials. You mentioned it but you're wrong. Companies are going to fight and use commercials in their argument. They don't like DVR's and their not going to let someone watch TV commerical free if they can stop it (they can't stop the use of DVR's) unless they get money else where.

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RE: Hrm..

By MrSmurf on 2/4/07, Rating: 0

RE: Hrm..

By Spivonious on 2/5/2007 10:29:26 AM , Rating: 2

MTV, Nickeloden, VH1 and also owns the Paramount Pictures movie studio

Free to watch? Only if you pay for cable. Cable pays Viacom.

YouTube couldn't work out a deal to pay Viacom, therefore no Viacom content on YouTube.

What's so hard about this?

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RE: Hrm..

By gramboh on 2/5/2007 11:57:33 AM , Rating: 2

The issue is that YouTube is profiting from the copyright content by way of ad revenue on the website. The copyright owners are not getting any revenue from this stream which is pissing them off. They were probably trying to reach an ad-revenue sharing deal but I bet the studios asked for way too much since margins are probably thing given massive bandwidth costs on a site like Youtube.

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RE: Hrm..

By crystal clear on 2/4/2007 3:05:28 PM , Rating: 1

" I suppose there is no way to ever stop piracy with todays means."

Yes there are ways to stop it-take them court & make them PAY UP.
Hit them where it hurts-their bank accounts & pack them off
to Prison.

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RE: Hrm..

By AMDZen on 2/5/2007 11:30:56 AM , Rating: 2

Yea, thats smart lets fill our prison with people who pirate content and people who smoke weed. Our prisons certainly aren't crowded enough, lets add people who don't pay their parking tickets.

You're a pretentious moron and your comment is utterly asinine. I only hope your 14 yo and not an actual tax payer. And no you will never stop piracy, ever. Nor would putting them all in jail (which will never happen) stop it either. If you think the war on drugs is a complete and utter failure wait a few more decades and see how the war on piracy turns out.

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Justice

By crystal clear on 2/4/2007 2:51:44 PM , Rating: 2

Quote-

"It's unfortunate that Viacom will no longer be able to benefit from YouTube's passionate audience, which has helped to promote many of Viacomon's shows," added a YouTube spokesman.

Unquote-

I would rephrase it the other way around-

Quote-

Its unfortunate that YouTube's passionate audience can no longer be able to benefit from Viacom shows,because Youtubes
refusal to pay royalties that Viacom rightly deserves.
Which(Viacom shows like others) has helped to promote Youtube.

Unquote-

If Youtube is not willing to pay for contents on its site-
then it should not allow copyrighted material being viewed.

Also pay compensation to copyright holders for use of their material(in the past) without permission.

Nobody is above the LAW.

RE: Justice

By Aversio on 2/4/2007 3:00:55 PM , Rating: 5

quote:
Nobody is above the LAW.

Not even O.J.?

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RE: Justice

By crystal clear on 2/4/07, Rating: 0

RE: Justice

By Tsuwamono on 2/4/2007 5:37:27 PM , Rating: 1

How is the US president not over the law? He has killed millions of innocents with his orders. The same type of orders that a mafia overlord gives.

Dont forget that he also stole an election.

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RE: Justice

By crystal clear on 2/5/2007 12:39:15 AM , Rating: 2

Hey ,before you RESPOND/VOTE DOWN a comment-READ CAREFULLY & understand what I wrote-

NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW INCL THE PRESIDENT.(in simple English)

Politics is another issue-I am not interested in talking about that.

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RE: Justice

By crystal clear on 2/4/07, Rating: -1

RE: Justice

By Oregonian2 on 2/5/2007 8:07:11 PM , Rating: 2

Instead they should just offer Viacom a low fee if they want to advertise on YouTube using clips from some of their shows. They can pay less per clip if they advertise in quantity. Just like YouTube deals with all other advertisers. Why should Viacom be different with their copyrighted materials vs all other advertisers who's advertising surely is copyrighted as well.

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stupid

By cochy on 2/4/2007 7:00:54 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
"It's unfortunate that Viacom will no longer be able to benefit from YouTube's passionate audience, which has helped to promote many of Viacomon's shows," added a YouTube spokesman.

That's probably the stupidest thing I've heard all week. It's unfortunate Viacom won't let us pirate their copyrighted materials?? That's basically what they are saying. How come someone benefit from a passionate audience if no one is getting paid from them?

RE: stupid

By PhatoseAlpha on 2/5/2007 12:51:53 AM , Rating: 2

Considering the massive amounts of income to be made from DVD sales - and the generally low quality of youtube video - yeah, when it gets right down to it, it's unfortunate. Giving the whole of their fans the finger never helps anybody. Aside from losing the potential benefit through DVD sales and actual show watching, they've just generated a whole bunch of animosity from their fans by presenting the
'evil corporation' face. And for what benefit? Do they really think youtube vids are replacing people watching their tvs and buying their dvds?

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RE: stupid

By Oregonian2 on 2/5/2007 8:13:44 PM , Rating: 2

Someone should pay for the crappy quality of video from YouTube, quality that makes iPod video's look like HDTV in comparison? If anything, one should write and complain to Viacom about their lousy quality! Semi-kidding! :-)

Yes, it's illegal and should be stopped if viacom wants it so. But I can't imagine the quality level being anything much more than an advertising tease, unless there's higher quality than I've seen so far on YouTube. Its really bad.

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The real problem

By SoylentG on 2/4/2007 10:27:43 PM , Rating: 2

Is this really a mind bender for the companies? Host your TV shows on your website, with commercials. Make money directly. Leave them up indefinitely. Let people start and stop where they want, just add a commercial every X seconds of play. Put a banner on top.

If you're not putting your shit up for free access paid for via ads, then don't kill someone else for doing it for you. Just ask for the ad profit made from that specific page. OH GOD THE LOGIC! MAKE IT STOP!

RE: The real problem

By rykerabel on 2/5/2007 11:29:50 AM , Rating: 2

omg, so true.

drives me nuts when i miss a show and can't find it anywhere. i'd so put up with website commercials and popups and all kinds of other crap just to get my favorite shows. yeah, i'll hate all the annoying stuff, but dammit, i'll sure put up with it to get to the content i love. they are so missing out on a fortune in advertisement (think how much google makes from just online ads)

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You are all very short sighted

By jmanjohns on 2/4/2007 3:50:46 PM , Rating: 3

Does no one realize that these laws were made to benefit the industry? You're all like "oh punish these criminals". That is so wrong. Think of the radio industry and all the troubles that brought when they first started airing radio broadcasts. Whenever new technology comes out, laws should be reconfigured to provide the most fair arrangement for all parties, and, frankly, the current system doesn't work well for the consumer and should be changed. Don't treat laws that didn't exist 15 years ago like they are fundamental truths that cannot be changed. Laws are changed/removed everyday and its about time that we reform our copyright laws (and THAT is the real issue behind piracy).

dane cook

By quiksilv3r on 2/4/2007 3:18:42 PM , Rating: 2

Those 1.2 billion views are all Dane Cook.

Viacom also ...

By DkFFIV on 2/4/2007 4:24:58 PM , Rating: 2

Viacom also owns SpikeTV + Comedy Central - no more South Park/Daily Show/Colbert clips. Funny because the link provided in the Blog section a day or two ago regarding Bill Gates on the Daily Show no longer works.

not that big of a loss

By sprockkets on 2/4/2007 8:29:34 PM , Rating: 2

Most of comedy central stuff, like the daily show is available on motherload anyhow. Freakin IE site though.

"If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than five minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it." -- SCEA President Jack Tretton