Viacom On Google’s 'Rogue Company'

Viacom’s CEO talks about its lawsuit against Google, its perception of YouTube and how he feels the video sharing site deliberately defied copyright holders in order to “dominate the space” and draw a massive audience.

"You can't just take it from us," Dauman said. He added that he believed Google's strategy all along was to defy copyright owners just as long as it took to "dominate the space." He argues Google didn't do anything to prevent piracy on YouTube because it helped draw a massive audience.

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because its so easy to prevent 1million+ people from simultaneously uploading movies on the website right?

Actually, it's very easy. Make it moderated, such that an admin has to vet a clip and verify the copyright status before it's posted for the world to see. Of course, doing that would effectively kill YouTube... That's what happened to Audio Galaxy if you remember back that far. Somehow, I think that Viacom will have a harder time killing Google-backed YouTube than the music industry had killing Audio Galaxy though.

My whole take on it is the big media corporations like Viacom need to step into the 21st century. So damn what your video is posted online for the world to see. I am totally about protecting copyright not forcing the world to bow down to you to see it. Let's face it, you tube is a boon for companies to get their product out to the mass market with lots of buzz behind it. Look at that ridicules ass Soldier boy craze, It started on you tube. Every time one of these annoying media companies start this whole the world is pirating my copy right crap I get pushed further and further away from the main stream and closer to more open source and open content types of media.

whoo are you who who who who... they wanna know

oh yeah townshend.. what ever happen to his kiddy porn fiasco? still plays a mean guitar

why dont Viacom just aim after the people that uploaded the videos.

problems will be solved that way.

hey my kiddy porn joke didnt work well.. the kiddy porn link is being added to this forum please fix mods!

youtube is hardly piracy...

the video quality is mediocre at best. It's a PITA for the average joe...or average myspace kiddy to record off of it...and even if you do you have crap quality video.

Furthermore maybe these multi billion dollar companies should pull their heads out of their asses and step into the modern world.

1. watching those clips generates sales, not steals them.
2. as an example of my youtube habits, viacom owns mtv, i like metal...find me a metal video on mtv...in fact, find me music videos on mtv. i can watch them on youtube.
3.it's not youtubes fault that your archaic business model isn't making you enough money for your 2nd gold toilet or the golden statue of your penis outside your hollywood mansion.

frankly I want to see more of these "Rogue Companies" start popping up, preferably faster than they can get their lawsuit paperwork in order.

also, didn't viacom fight for a list of everyone who has watched youtube. Isn't that class action lawsuit waiting to happen?

farfromhome said:

Actually, it's very easy. Make it moderated, such that an admin has to vet a clip and verify the copyright status before it's posted for the world to see. Of course, doing that would effectively kill YouTube... That's what happened to Audio Galaxy if you remember back that far. Somehow, I think that Viacom will have a harder time killing Google-backed YouTube than the music industry had killing Audio Galaxy though.

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Except Google has no obligation to do that. The very same DMCA that provides the media corporations the power to attack and abuse Americans also provides safe harbour for those hosting user-uploaded content as long as they remove it upon request.

if anything youtube is probably the only free media service that got me to go buy something in hq because it was so crappy.

divx, mp3s thats what you take to keep. youtube is what gets you to go buy stuff, laugh at people and watch news that cant be broadcasted in communist countries

Irony:

But his disappointment turned into something else when clips from Comedy Central, MTV, and Paramount Pictures--all owned by Viacom--continued to accumulate on YouTube.

"You can't just take it from us," Dauman said

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Viacom Claims Ownership of indie filmmakers' YouTube clips.

Apparently it's not Copyright infringement if they do it to other people.

Viacom is vying for bargaining position. They know they need to claim their content and monetize it instead of being tools, so they're just suing to try to get a better monetization deal and use it as leverage. It has nothing to do with the actual infringement.