Viacom orders YouTube to take down videos

Filed under: Business, Video, Web services, Google

Viacom orders YouTube to take down videos

by Chris Gilmer Feb 2nd 2007

Viacom has been trying to get through to YouTube, spending months of negotiating trying to take clips down from MTV, BET and Paramount. Now apparently Viacom has sent a letter to Google demanding that they take down over 100,000 videos immediately. Viacom is extremely upset that the apparent filtering tools that Google had promised are not doing that great of a job, and unauthorized videos are still getting through and posted live. Viacom is hoping that Google will support a fair and authorized distribution model that will allow consumers to enjoy popular content in the future. They are looking towards a deal like CBS and many music labels have recently reached with Google and YouTube to host content and profit share ad revenue among other initiatives. The situation between the two companies seemed to escalate when Google video began linking to YouTube content recently. Viacom saw this as another avenue where they were losing potential revenues. Maybe one day all of this YouTube drama will be settled with media companies. Until then, enjoy all the content YouTube currently provides, and cross your fingers that you'll soon be able to see all of your favorite clips through the service.

Tags: cbs, clips, google, music, viacom, video, youtube

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jeff said 9:06PM on 2-02-2007

Okay, so it's legal for me to video tape a show and watch it by myself, or give it to my friends - as long as I don't charge for it...

but it's not right for me to DVR a show, cut out a favorite clip and then share it with my friends and more via YouTube?

Seems to me these companies are perhaps rightfully going after ad revenue, but really hurting their image in the process.

Shibathedog said 11:20PM on 2-02-2007

yeah really, its not like these people are making money by posting these videos, and its pretty obvious they arent the ones who made it and who the video belongs to, so whats the big deal?

ManekiNeko said 3:57AM on 2-03-2007

Geez... who wrote this, Sumner Redstone? It's so sympathetic toward Viacom that it may as well be a press release.

JR

RP said 12:33PM on 2-03-2007

Who cares -- turn off the TV and go outside -- go on a walk or bike ride, get some fresh air. Or read a book or play a game.

TV is entertaining, but if the studios want to be annoying, just ignore them.

yourturn said 2:09AM on 2-04-2007

The big deal is your missing their stupid advertising, which is what all sane people are trying to get around. So put a hurtin on viacom by starting another video download site people to avoid the media ad trash. The MUTE button on your tv controller is the most powerfull anti George Bush viacom trash ad destroyer out there.

ChickebSangwich said 1:30PM on 2-08-2007

Everyone seems to be missing the huge loophole... All the material that was taken down from Youtube is still up in form or another on Google Video. Heck just do a search for "comedy central" and it comes up with tons of copyrighted clips. Seems like someone dropped the ball on this one. Why would you demand a company take down your clips from one of its websites and not the other? Props to Google for not pointing out the obvious to Viacom, and keeping the clips on Google Video at least.

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