NEW YORK - MTV owner Viacom Inc. sued the popular video-sharing site YouTube and its corporate parent, Google Inc., on Tuesday, seeking more than $1 billion in damages on claims of widespread copyright infringement.

Viacom claims that YouTube has displayed more than 160,000 unauthorized video clips from its cable networks, which also include Comedy Central, VH1 and Nickelodeon.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, marks a sharp escalation of long-simmering tensions between Viacom and YouTube and represents the biggest confrontation to date between a major media company and the hugely popular video-sharing site, which Google bought in November for $1.76 billion.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17592285/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17592285/)

Maybe if VH1 classic got back to playing actually music, instead of turning to **** like all those other music channels, people wouldn't have to watch their videos on YouTube!! :rolleyes: I'm so ****ing sick of all these damn tv stations constantely whining about youtube. Give your viewers what they freaking want for a change, and you won't have to worry so much about what goes on at youtube!!! ****ing idiots!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

Yes - because THAT'LL teach someone to advertise Viacom's products for free.

The whole thing is silly.

Maybe if VH1 classic got back to playing actually music, instead of turning to **** like all those other music channels, people wouldn't have to watch their videos on YouTube!! :rolleyes: I'm so ****ing sick of all these damn tv stations constantely whining about youtube. Give your viewers what they freaking want for a change, and you won't have to worry so much about what goes on at youtube!!! ****ing idiots!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:
:clap Well said, Brad!! I completely agree.

Maybe if VH1 classic got back to playing actually music, instead of turning to **** like all those other music channels, people wouldn't have to watch their videos on YouTube!! :rolleyes: I'm so ****ing sick of all these damn tv stations constantely whining about youtube. Give your viewers what they freaking want for a change, and you won't have to worry so much about what goes on at youtube!!! ****ing idiots!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:
*cheers* Could not have said it any better.

Somebody is always suing Youtube.

Maybe if VH1 classic got back to playing actually music, instead of turning to **** like all those other music channels, people wouldn't have to watch their videos on YouTube!! :rolleyes: I'm so ****ing sick of all these damn tv stations constantely whining about youtube. Give your viewers what they freaking want for a change, and you won't have to worry so much about what goes on at youtube!!! ****ing idiots!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

My thoughts, exactly! Viacom (and other media conglomerates) supposedly own all of this video content, but it's hardly ever licensed to broadcast on any television station or released on DVD, so I guess these video clips are supposed to just sit around and gather dust and never be seen again! What a bunch of @$$clowns!!!

companies are so greedy and stupid. don't they reliaze that these clips are PROMOTING their shows?

This whole thing is ridiculous, they requested youtube delete the videos and they got it, now they want to sue. Viacom is being inane.

My thoughts, exactly! Viacom (and other media conglomerates) supposedly own all of this video content, but it's hardly ever licensed to broadcast on any television station or released on DVD, so I guess these video clips are supposed to just sit around and gather dust and never be seen again! What a bunch of @$$clowns!!!
yeah, chances are if something's a Viacom show, it'll never be seen again, they stick to their shows like glue

If it were not for Youtube, I'd never had gotten into Heroes. Now I watch it, giving NBC ratings and money.

Now you can't find the episodes on youtube. It sucks.

youtube -CLEARLY- emphasizes in its user policy that uploading copyrighted content is prohibited, am i not correct?

I can't believe it I love watching Music videos on youtube it's practically the only place you can watch music video since MTV only shows videos at 5 in the morning and who is going to get up to watch videos then unless you are getting ready for work at that time your not going to get up just to watch music videos at 5. I do agree with you about VH1 classic, there starting to cut back on there videos too. I mean every time I turn there they have some history show on Heavy metal or something like that or there showing some music movies like Footloose. I do like footloose but when I turn to VH1 classic I want to see Music videos not footloose. So if there not going to show videos on TV anymore then why do they care if they show them on Youtube.

A billion dollars? A billion?

Well, since the MTV and VH1 offices here in New York laid off a ton of employees, I guess they're pressed for some cash.

;)

That's flippin crazy. It's their fault that I can't watch my Degrassi fan videos anymore. pissed:

This is really getting out of hand. I mean, where else can we get in to all these new shows or watch music videos we haven't seen in ages because MTV insists on putting crappy reality shows on every hour of the day? :mad:

This is really getting out of hand. I mean, where else can we get in to all these new shows or watch music videos we haven't seen in ages because MTV insists on putting crappy reality shows on every hour of the day? :mad:

You can thank Tom Freston for that, He said in a Tv Guide interview a few years ago that nobody cared about Mtv's history. Judging from all the videos that have been uploaded to youtube and the comments about them plus the sentiments echoed here on this board, I'd say the idiot has a screw loose somewhere. At least the clown was fired by Viacom last year so that's one thing in our favor.

Wow...I can't believe he'd say that. I'm only 24, but I can distinctly remember the days when MTV was good, when all they'd play is music videos. Don't get me wrong--I don't object to a reality show here and there. But it seems like that's ALL there is, with maybe about an hour or so of actual music videos (which are severely cut down for time...did you ever notice how they only play about 30 seconds to a minute of music?)

You can thank Tom Freston for that, He said in a Tv Guide interview a few years ago that nobody cared about Mtv's history. Judging from all the videos that have been uploaded to youtube and the comments about them plus the sentiments echoed here on this board, I'd say the idiot has a screw loose somewhere. At least the clown was fired by Viacom last year so that's one thing in our favor.

ALL the networks, cable and non-cable, saturate their schedules with reality shows. Why? Because they are so CHEAP to produce!! God forbid they should actually dig into their budgets and air things the viewers enjoy. And they wonder why ratings are in the toilet?? :mad:

Wow...I can't believe he'd say that. I'm only 24, but I can distinctly remember the days when MTV was good, when all they'd play is music videos. Don't get me wrong--I don't object to a reality show here and there. But it seems like that's ALL there is, with maybe about an hour or so of actual music videos (which are severely cut down for time...did you ever notice how they only play about 30 seconds to a minute of music?)

I haven't watched MTV since they canned Beavis and Butthead. On Jan 1st 2000 some genius at MTV2 got the bright idea to play every video in the MTV Library. They played them in order by title beginning with "A Beautiful Day" by U2 and ending with "Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies.

Over 19,000 videos were played over the course of 2 months or longer and I'd would esimate that only 95% of their Library was aired because they did leave out a few including "Dirty Laundry" by Don Henley and "Stand Back" by Stevie Nicks. Jan 2000 was also the month that we were hit by a huge blizzard that dumped several feet of snow on us and knocked the power out for 3 days so I missed getting the ones that were played during that time.

i recall reading that same article that interviewed Tom Freston back in july of 1991. as the ten year anniversary was coming up on 8/1/91 for MTV, the media was all abuzz about the date. Freston was said then that "no one cares about MTV's history".
i also recall the anger that gave me. 1991....by that time, most videos sucked and had been sucking for a couple of years already by then. 1987 was the last half decent year to me. by '87, janet jackson and her "line dancing" production was what everybody copied. if not that, it was videos that spent most of their time with highlights for the movies the song was from. gone were the days of studio produced performance videos. also gone were the "on location" videos when a band would travel wordwide for a particular natural scenic view...and gone were the day of a video that actually told a short story about/ or just with the song.
these days were gone, or about gone by 1987. after '87, it was all a bunch of studio produced choreagraphed garbage video. then came the videos that were nothing but special effects. and don't forget the videos from soundtracks STILL highlighted movies as opposed to the music and the videos.
look at most videos from say 1979 through 1985...most were shot in england or some other country where the band came form and such. by 1988, that was gone. gone were the videos of the scenic beauty, and here were the videos all shot in a studio or on the streets on NY or LA. even all the british groups had their videos on the streets on NY or LA, or in a studio.
MTV killed the video star.

youtube -CLEARLY- emphasizes in its user policy that uploading copyrighted content is prohibited, am i not correct?

i see your point, but that is not the argument here.
also, the point here being made is that people want to see old music videos and such. the only "legal" outlet refuses to air them or release them. so, the underground network rises.
ever hear of "prohibition"? you know that didn't stop the people that wanted to drink alcohol to stop don't you? no, it only created a NEW never existed before crime rate. this is the same thing, different subject matter. people will get what they want, however they can get it, when those that have it will not offer it. bottomline.

I think the whole issue with youtube can be summed up with this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BiB0VgOKojg

i can see that Zoneboy, but i feel that internet may have helped to kill the video star, but it is the management for the music networks that are the real culprits.
"they killed videos!!!"
"You B*st*rds!!!"

i can see that Zoneboy, but i feel that internet may have helped to kill the video star, but it is the management for the music networks that are the real culprits.
"they killed videos!!!"
"You B*st*rds!!!"

No argument from me. :wave:

Maybe if VH1 classic got back to playing actually music, instead of turning to **** like all those other music channels, people wouldn't have to watch their videos on YouTube!! :rolleyes: I'm so ****ing sick of all these damn tv stations constantely whining about youtube. Give your viewers what they freaking want for a change, and you won't have to worry so much about what goes on at youtube!!! ****ing idiots!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

Damn straight!!!! :wave:

You are exactly right, Brad!!!

I think the whole issue with youtube can be summed up with this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BiB0VgOKojg


Excellent Video , I totally agree

:mad:
I love you tube.
Viacom has made plenty of money. Greedy,Greedy,Greedy.

i see your point, but that is not the argument here.
also, the point here being made is that people want to see old music videos and such. the only "legal" outlet refuses to air them or release them. so, the underground network rises.
ever hear of "prohibition"? you know that didn't stop the people that wanted to drink alcohol to stop don't you? no, it only created a NEW never existed before crime rate. this is the same thing, different subject matter. people will get what they want, however they can get it, when those that have it will not offer it. bottomline.
yes i know users ignore the policy, my point is that youtube shouldn't be blamed for it. if viacom must get angry at someone then it should be the people who upload the copyrighted content.

The people at Viacom need a kick up the arse.

So why doesn't Viacom sue all the people who upload the stuff instead. Like the RIAA.

Anyway, a billion dollars for a buch of crappy programming. This, folks, is the American Way of the 21st century! :rolleyes:

we went throught this same argument years ago with VCR's. and like i always said back then, if what was on tv wasn't for me to record, there should not be a record button and function on the VCR.
they give us the capability to do these things and then tell us we can't do it. i feel the same about sex education..don't give a teenager a condom, and tell him how to do it, and then tell him he can't have sex...ain't gonna happen.