Viacom Closes Video Vaults For YouTube Viewers
Viacom Inc. is ordering YouTube to remove all its video clips from the Internet video site citing copyright infringement. Currently is it is approximated that there are over 100,000 clips from Viacom shows and movies on YouTube. Previous agreements between the two parties resulted in YouTube removing full versions of uploaded media, while still hosting short clips from shows and movies. Viacom is the parent company of popular channels such as MTV and Comedy Central.
Viacom was working both to achieve payment from its material being on YouTube, and to get assurance that filters would be created to ensure uploaded content was appropriate.
YouTube is apparently working on developing a “fingerprinting” technology that can identify copyrighted material, and either remove the material, or determine how to share advertising revenue with the copyright holder.
YouTube frequently deals with copyright situations, and removes clips as requested. Viacom is now also demanding that YouTube not allow future postings of Viacom material on the site. Although copyright law is clear about a site having to remove content at an owner’s request, there is debate if YouTube has to comply with this request due to copyright law not being clear about preventing a site from posting material in the first place.
Viacom currently has an agreement to air its videos in return for ad revenue on Google Video, which is run by Google Inc, also YouTube’s parent company. In January, Viacom launched its own video-sharing site, Acceptable TV.
Sources:
Karnitschnig, M. (2007, February 3). Viacom orders removal of videos from youtube. The Wall Street Journal, p. A3.
Grossberg, J. (2007, February 3). Viacom’s youtube smackdown. Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/20070203/en_industry_eo/70fb7ed5_cfd04c60_926e_731bdd91167a