OT: YouTube deletes 29,549 copyright-busting

apit34356 wrote on 10/20/2006, 7:06 PM
In the news:

Industry predictions that Google may have bought itself a whole heap of copyright trouble when it recently acquired YouTube for a modest $1.65bn, appear to be coming true as media companies worldwide move to protect their assets from illicit online dissemination.

According to Reuters, the Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers - which represents 23 media companies including TV networks and movie distributors - has successfully lobbied for the removal of 29,549 files from the website.

The Society added it would ask YouTube "to set up screening and other measures to block postings of unauthorised files". It also rather hopefully requested users "not to post video clips in violation of copyright laws".

In the US, meanwhile, a veritable phalanx of media outfits are currently "co-ordinating their negotiations" with YouTube. As we noted earlier this week, YouTube has to date avoided such unwelcome attention, "because with zero revenues it hasn't been worth pursuing".

Google, on the other hand, is absolutely loaded - as its Q3 earnings statement shows - and is therefore worth pursuing.

Comments

fldave wrote on 10/20/2006, 7:29 PM
"because with zero revenues it hasn't been worth pursuing"

Experts are saying that YouTube rakes in a million or three a month "the old fashioned way": banner and contextual ads.

http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20061013.html
Jonathan Neal wrote on 10/20/2006, 7:30 PM
Money talks; you gotta love that ending.

Actually, removing non-American videos for the Japanese greedy is a good way to keep the American greedy at bay. They see that Google is willing to remove content, it makes them feel like they might have clout, and money now, and then money later is usually better business than money now, and then money gone.

Obviously, Google had a plan, and so did YouTube. This was their plan: finance what YouTube couldn't, so that once YouTube has reached agreements with major music and movie companies, the money comes rolling in just-in-time for the new owner, Google, and some of their new stock holders, YouTube.

The only reason Google waited this long was to let the deal seal between Warner and YouTube. Now you've got a major distributor working with a major name, so other players are more likely to follow suit, especially when there's money to be made.

Does Google think ads are worth it? If Google has learned anything, if Google knows anything, it's how to sell an ad.
Patryk Rebisz wrote on 10/20/2006, 11:19 PM
Good thing my favorite English class isn't taken down: