[Dixielandjazz] YouTube copyright suit

[Bill Haesler]

Dear friends,
This one just through on the Sydney Morning Herald site.
I can' say that I am surprised.
Kind regards,
Bill. 
************************************************************
YouTube's massive copyright suit
March 14, 2007 - 11:39AM

Media conglomerate Viacom sued Google and its internet video-sharing site
YouTube for more than $US1 billion ($A1.27 billion) today in the biggest
challenge yet to the web search leader's strategy to dominate the online
video market.

The lawsuit accuses Google and its popular online video unit of "massive
intentional copyright infringement," threatening its ambitions to turn
YouTube into a major distributor of entertainment and outlet for
advertising.

Viacom has been the most vocal critic of YouTube as it sought to negotiate
payment for use of its programming. Last month, the company demanded YouTube
pull more than 100,000 video clips uploaded by users to its site.

"YouTube's strategy has been to avoid taking proactive steps to curtail the
infringement on its site, thus generating significant traffic and revenues
for itself while shifting the entire burden -and high cost - of monitoring
YouTube onto the victims of its infringement," Viacom said.

Google said it was confident that YouTube respects the copyrights at issue
in the Viacom case.

"We will certainly not let this suit become a distraction to the continuing
growth and strong performance of YouTube," Google said in a statement.

General Electric's majority owned NBC Universal and News Corp have also
criticised YouTube's copyright protection policies but have stopped short of
taking legal action, testimony to a media industry quandary between
embracing a fast-growing outlet for younger audiences or trying to build a
competing web vehicle themselves.

YouTube does not prevent copyrighted content from being uploaded onto its
site, but will take material down at the request of copyright owners.

"We've dealt with YouTube on a case by case basis to have content taken
down," a News Corp spokesman said, adding the company supported Viacom's
right "to protect its own content in whatever way it needs to".

Viacom contends that almost 160,000 unauthorised clips - from excerpts of
the US comedy talk show The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to pieces of
children's programs like SpongeBob SquarePants - have been uploaded onto
YouTube's site and viewed more than 1.5 billion times.

The decision to sue Google followed "a great deal of unproductive
negotiation," the company said.

Viacom filed the suit in the US District Court for the Southern District of
New York, seeking an injunction against further violations and damages.

Google bought YouTube last November for $US1.65 billion ($A2.1 billion),
intent on capitalise on its explosive audience growth, built from sharing
both homemade and professionally produced videos.

YouTube has reached licensing deals with major record labels, but still
faces the ire of major media companies. Google has promised new technology
to help identify pirated videos uploaded by users, but has not given a firm
timetable for its introduction.

"If there's anything central to Google's business model, it is being at the
centre of everything," said Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey. "This
has the potential to put them on the periphery."

Viacom and peers like NBC Universal, in which France's Vivendi owns a
minority interest, are also investing heavily in their own internet video
sites in an effort to benefit from the migration of television audiences to
the web.

Reuters