Viacom
”YouTube Forced to Reveal Username and IP Address of Every Video Watched
Remember Viacom suing YouTube and Google for one BILLION dollars eons ago? That's still going on! And while a judge ruled yesterday that while Google doesn't have to reveal its secret search sauce to the multimedia giantface, he did grant Viacom's request for YouTube to turn over records of "every video watch by YouTube users," and that includes their username and IP address. Yeah that's right, Viacom will know every time you watch "Pork n Beans" or need to refuel your day with Powerthirst. (Or watch Viacom's The Daily Show, you bastard.) And like that, the illusion of YouTube privacy was gone. [YouTube]
music
Yahoo Dumps Music Service, Sends Customers to Rhapsody
As if it hasn't been a rough enough patch for Yahoo, the company just announced that it would be ditching its iffy attempt at all-you-can-eat DRM music, Yahoo! Music Unlimited, and turn what subscribers it does have over to Rhapsody. This is good news for people who may have signed up for Yahoo before reading reviews; in our observations, Rhapsody is a much better service. The only thing that strikes fear in us, from the press release: "A simple process...will convert Yahoo! Music Unlimited subscribers' music libraries to Rhapsody." Uhhh, just don't call it ConvertsForSure, okay? Thanks. Press release after jump.More »
copywrong
Hollywood Puppet Congressdude Wants Harder, More Draconian DMCA With No Safe Harbor
While overseeing a hearing on the PRO-IP Act, a bill that might make statutory damages for copyright infringement even more obscene, Rep. Howard Berman, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, pondered out loud about other ridiculous copyright stuff he wants to do. Like make the DMCA an even more horrible piece of legislation by neutering its safe harbor provisions. More »
the price is right
Every Episode of South Park Ever Being Put Online for Free Next Year
Earlier this year, Viacom put every Daily Show episode online for free, and it was awesome. Now, they're following suit with South Park, with plans to put every episode of the animated series online for free next year. More »Daily Show Writers Use Viacom's YouTube Suit to Hilariously Explain the Strike
Because of the WGA strike, there's no Daily Show, which sucks. But if you think you're suffering, think of how the writers of that wonderful program feel! In this video that the writers of our favorite mock newscast made on the picketline, they clearly explain why this strike is happening and how the studio chiefs are total hypocrites. And they have a point! I mean, how can Viacom go around suing YouTube for one billion dollars and then turn around and say there's no money to be made on the internet? Scumbags! [Defamer]
save us
Viacom, Disney, Microsoft and Others Form Justice League of Copyright
A smorgasborg of media companies—Viacom, Disney, News Corp., NBC Universal, CBS, and others, including Microsoft—have formed a coalition laying out guidelines for protecting copyrights online. Their "principles" include using technology to wipe out copyright no-no content generated by users, as well as shutting it out before it hits the public intertubes. You'll notice GooTube isn't part of the list—they're not of the pre-emptive blockage philosophy, as of yet. However, some analysts think Google will have to play ball if their guidelines do become an actual standard. More »
drm
Viacom CEO Still All About DRM, Will Hopefully Retire Soon
While it seems like many sensible companies have realized that DRM doesn't curb piracy and just pisses off their customers, it appears that Viacom didn't get the memo. Today, CEO Philippe Dauman whined to the US Chamber of Commerce that it's too easy to copy media and that companies should be using stronger, more widespread DRM and watermarking. He also wants ISPs and hosting companies to work with companies to snitch on pirates and turn them in to the Copyright Gestapo. Just give it up already, people. The tides are turning. Don't fight it. It's for your own good. [Crave]
viacom
Viacom Putting All of Daily Show Online
Whether it was the cause of or the reaction to their $1 billion lawsuit against Google, Viacom will be launching TheDailyShow.com with the entire back catalog of Stewart clips available for viewing (we're assuming for free). It's a progressive move by Viacom, and hopefully the clips aren't so chock full of ads that we can't enjoy them properly. Of course, that won't be true if MTV.com's full 30 second intro ads are any indication.
It's brilliant, really. Cutting shows into individual clips, Viacom probably feeds users more ads per content minute online than on television. [nytimes]
pirate wars: episode iv
RIAA, Viacom, Microsoft and Others Form Galactic Empire Copyright Alliance
It is a period of civil war. Pirate torrents, striking from hidden basements, have plundered the vaults of Hollywood movie studios, the recording industry, and software monoliths, who have now formed the COPYRIGHT ALLIANCE. During the battle, pirates managed to steal copyrighted material as well as the not-so-secret plans of their LOBBYISTS and LEGAL TEAMS, with enough power to lobby and sue an entire planet.
More »
press
YouTube Leashed: "Claim Your Content" Is On Its Way
It may sound like a game show for accountants, but Claim Your Content is actually the name of YouTube's new content monitoring tool. As near as we can figure, it's an automated feature that accompanies every user-uploaded video. Content owners, including such publicly announced Claim Your Content charter members as the NHL and the NBA, will have the right to log in and yank any content that they feel is an infringement of copyright. More »
home entertainment
Viacom's Hypocrisy Could Defuse YouTube Lawsuit
Anyone checked out iFilm lately? Ars Technica did, and found several videos that were guilty of copyright infringement. Were any Viacom videos part of that roundup? Nope, because Viacom owns iFilm. Wait, what's that you say? Viacom couldn't possibly own a company that violates others' copyrights because right now they're suing YouTube for a billion dollars for doing just that? More »Google: "What Lawsuit?"
Google is not easily intimidated. If a gigantic corporation sued me for $1 billion, I would probably drop a load in my pants and offer to do anything — and I mean anything — to get out of it. But Google? They aren't scared of Viacom or their attention-grabbing lawsuit."This is an area of law where there are a bunch of really clear precedents, so Amazon and eBay have both been found to qualify for the safe harbor and there are a whole bunch more. We will continue to innovate and continue to host material for people, without being distracted by this suit."Cold-blooded! More »
home entertainment
Viacom to Google: You Owe Us $1 Billion
Viacom is getting pissed off at YouTube, and has decided to shakedown its parent company Google Inc. for $1 billion in damages for stealing its programming. Viacom says there are more than 160,000 clips of its programming on YouTube, including segments from VH1, Nickelodeon and especially Comedy Central. More »
youtube
BBC Bringing Crumpets, Three New Channels With Ads to YouTube
Apparently, YouTube's been quite busy behind the scenes, despite being shunned by Viacom. The NYT reports that they've managed to line up over 1,000 partnerships with content providers at a pace of 200 a quarter, most of them smaller, independent outlets. More »
home entertainment
Viacom Jilted YouTube for Joost, Google Crying Itself to Sleep
Why did Viacom abruptly demand 100,000 of its videos be removed from YouTube? Turns out Viacom had other plans for its videos and films: tons of its content was on its way to another Internet video service: the hi-buzz peer-to-peer service called Joost. Suspicions arose when beta testers noticed a plethora of Viacom clips on the nascent Joost, the beta project with more clips than users thus far. More »
youtube
More Execs Bring the Hate for YouTube
Fresh off the Viacom slap, NBC Universal's Jeff Zucker and News Corp.'s Rupert Murdoch lined up to take their shots at GooTube. More »
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