Google Trying To Pay Off Big Entertainment Companies To Leave YouTube Alone
from the bad-ideas dept
Google is apparently looking to continue the practice of paying off entertainment companies to agree not to sue YouTube, apparently dangling fees of over $100 million to various well-known entertainment companies. The agreement is structured as a “licensing” deal, and the companies would agree not to sue Google over YouTube and give Google about 3 years to figure out how to get the model right. As the article notes, it’s an intriguing deal for the entertainment companies, who can’t easily pass up $100 million for doing nothing. But, they’re also worried about the precedent it sets and the “loss of control” over their content. To be honest, this seems a little backwards. They’ve already lost control over their content, and no amount of trying is going to get it back. The more worrisome thing is the worry about the precedent that is being set on the other side, by Google. It’s great that they’re trying to work out some sort of model to get the entertainment companies off their back, and they certainly have the cash to do so, but it opens up a huge list of potential problems. What about smaller and mid-sized firms? Why does Google get to pick who gets compensated? And, once the big entertainment firms are getting compensated, what’s to stop the independents or even the amateurs creating content for the site from asking where their cut is as well? While it’s understandable that Google might not want to go through a huge legal battle over this (even if the law is probably on their side), setting a precedent of paying people off to leave them alone is only going to attract more attention and more lawsuits from others who want their cut.
Comments on “Google Trying To Pay Off Big Entertainment Companies To Leave YouTube Alone”
Buying YouTube was the biggest mistake
Buying YouTube was the biggest mistake that google has made…
Buying YouTube
How is that?
The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.
Google paying protection
this smacks of people paying gangsters protection money in order to get left alone. Buying Youtube may or may not have been a good investment, but this is NOT a good idea. Now that they’ve let this genie out of the bottle, they are going to end up being sorry when everybody else starts looking for their cut. Besides its wrong in principle, but since when did principle and capitalism ever have anything to do with each other?
Re: Google paying protection
but since when did principle and capitalism ever have anything to do with each other?
Since always if you ask me. That is part of the reason Google and AliBaba are so popular now. I must admit that is sometimes have doubts about Googles “Do no evil” lead by example policy
Still waiting for YouTube to be useful for cover b
I have a cover band and registered on YouTube with a musicians account. After the deal between Time Warner and “GooTube” was announced, I contacted YouTube to see if we would now be able to share audio and video clips of us performing copyrighted songs using their service. I included a list of possible songs and also requested information on which songs might be available for us to post as a result of this “licensing agreement”. The response was the same old diatribe about me accepting the risk of being sued for copyright infringement. Blah, blah, blah! In other words, the “deal” is useless to the users of the service.
Just because others choose to ignore copyright laws and post copyrighted material without compensating the rights holder, that does not mean I will do that, especially since a licensing deal is in place that should allow that very thing to occur legally. The existence of a licensing deal implies the right to post the content. A deal for the site to not be sued is in no way a deal for me not to be sued. Until the “licensing” deal applies to the users who will actually post the content, it in effect does not exist.
If Google hopes to sustain the site long term it will have to make the service legal for legitimate users. I guarantee that my little cover band will do nothing to dent retail CD sales. It’s more likely we could increase sales of CDs of the original artists when poeple get reminded of their favorite songs and want to hear them in their cars and at work. Google’s use of context sensitive ads such as what is in place in Gmail and on Google Search could make this site a viable business model.
Covers
Dukeman: Google gives you the boilerplate because they are not your legal council. I found that http://cdbaby.net/dd-covers is a good resource for figuring out how to obtain a mechanical license or DPD license. The Harry Fox Agency makes it really easy, you can purchase DPD licenses online.
Re: Covers
Thanks for the link. However, my band is not a business. It is a hobby. Instead of a legal payola, which is what Google’s deal amounts to, what is needed is a venue paid license fee, such as hotels and private clubs pay (through MPAA). These venues (the legal ones) pay the license fees so bands can play there, and attract customers for their cash cow, beverages. Functionally and as businesses, Google Video and YouTube are basically the same type of venue, albeit in a different media. The attraction is entertainment, and the products are whatever the context sensitive ads would be hocking. Likely audio CDs, blank media, musical instruments, and the like for viewers of a cover band’s content. Maybe even black lights and posters. Google is already money ahead in that they don’t have to pay the bands (except the ad revenue sharing deals YouTube made early on).
Well, Google has set a pattern. I hope any singer with any songs/music on Utube will threaten to sue, then demand just a much money as the big companies. If they say no ask them why they are paying off others and not you to.
20/80
One must have figure it that 90 % of youtube content commes from 5 % copyright holders. Now if you settle for 90% of the content go stay, you can always take off any of the 0.001% when asked to. The bet is: the ones with 0.001% willl hope to get famous and keep their content online so you get over the pain in the *ss by paying off just a bunch of guys.
I hope over time a form of copyright like the CCEL (used in Christian churches) to sing and record copyrighted songs will become available for people to post cover songs or video with songs up on youtube.
Time for the reaper to reap
I think its time for Google to get sued to be honest. You can’t expect a company that big to not make a mistake. A nice legal battle will show the world just how screwed up the whole copyright debacle is. Not to mention, Google is getting way to big for the gov’t not to take a piece of that pie!! Man you gotta love America! 🙂
Re: Time for the reaper to reap
You really have no idea, do you? Google gets sued ALL the time in tens of different countries. Its like saying “its about time high tech companies started outsourcing to India.”
Google has soooo much money, that they can lose sight of the real issue.
Paying blackmailers is never a solution.
RE:capitalism's inherent lack of principle
Let’s see: J.D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould, Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, the S&L meltdown, Yahoo caving into the Chinese govt, Google wasn’t much better, the telecoms handing over whatever the Bush admin asked for, HP, the list goes on ad infinitum. Capitalism is just SO VERY PRINCIPLED!
Re: RE:capitalism's inherent lack of principle
Let’s see: J.D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould, Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, the S&L meltdown, Yahoo caving into the Chinese govt, Google wasn’t much better, the telecoms handing over whatever the Bush admin asked for, HP, the list goes on ad infinitum. Capitalism is just SO VERY PRINCIPLED!
Let’s See: Stalin, Lenin, Hitler, Pol Pot… The world of ‘socialism’ is so much better, yes!
Google is gambling billions - for what?
Are deals with the major studios really necessary? What makes YouTube special? Is it just “time shifting” and “space shifting” of video? Of course not. There are much easier ways to do this with VCRs and DVRs. YouTube is special for all the funny, unusual, bizarre video clips…most of which are 2 minutes or less. YouTubers are not craving half hour episodes of Desperate Housewives or any other network show. They want short compilations of the funniest moments. They want out-takes, bloopers, candid outbursts, people behaving badly, girls gone wild, etc. Having all this crazy stuff categorized, searchable, in bite sized chunks, and available on demand is what makes YouTube special. Does YouTube really need the TV/Movie deals? Rather than spend $Billions on licensing this stuff, why not spend a few million on a lawsuit and establish legal precedents?
I wrote an in depth blog on this subject today at http://dondodge.typepad.com/the_next_big_thing/2006/12/google_raises_t.html
Will the Artists Sue the Music Companies?
I don’t see why the artists don’t sue the media companies for failing in their fiduciary obligations to the artists. This just looks like a big scam where the media companies are accepting huge bribes to look the other way. Kind of like if you hired a security guard to watch your property but then he took bribes to look the other way while burglars made off with all you stuff.
Google is gambling billions - for what?
your assessment of youtube viewers is one i used to share. i, presumably, watched youtube for the same reasons you do. my one word of advice: there are an enormous amount of youtube viewers, it’s wrong to assume they all watch it for the same reasons you do…
I feel that the practice of paying off entertainment companies by Google is something that goes against their motto “don’t be evil”.
This and the China thing are the few blemishes of Google.
The article missed the point
Google is not ‘paying off’ the big entertainment companies. They are engaged in a business deal that they hope will eventually lead to a profit. They are licensing the popular, copyrighted content to attract new users to youtube.
Currently, youtube features the little two minute clips of normal people doing stupid stuff. Google expects the quality of the user created content to get better and better, and to eventually launch Internet TV. So, as they sift through the million videos of girls dancing to ‘My Humps’ and guys getting hit in the nads, just so they can find the next “It’s always sunny in Philadelphia”, they need to attract their desired demographic. Hence, the licensed content. Lawsuits are not really the issue.
Also they are not worried about the smaller firms filing lawsuits, because youtube actually benefits the smaller, lesser known content providers. Youtube provides exposure for folks who might never get a shot. The same is not true for “Desperate Housewives,” for example. ABC does not need youtube to promote their shows. However, having “Desperate Housewives” or “The Daily Show” helps draw users to youtube, even if it’s just the ones that don’t have DVRs and forgot to program their VCRs.
That’s how I see it, anyway.
First people don’t want Youtube being taken over by big corporations and advertisers…..now they don’t like it when Google pays them off so they can have some valuable time to figure out a way that the owners of the content and the Youtube users can both co-exist peacefully.
There will always be critics but unless you were in a Google corporate meeting or talked to the CEO lately it’s pretty lame to accuse either side of anything.
I thought they said it was _not_ a licensing deal.
Re: Re:
Anonymous Coward wrote:
“I thought they said it was _not_ a licensing deal.”
According to the article:
“Google calls these monies licensing fees, according to executives who’ve been involved in the discussions.”
So I think my hypothesis still stands.
Re: Re: Re:
I think AC was referring to the first link to another Techdirt article,
that said “The deal was an investment, not a licensing agreement, meaning all that cash the labels got they don’t actually need to share with the artists they always claim they’re trying to protect.”
plister pakc related injuries
Just this week while attempting to open a deadly blister pack, i stabbed myself in the stomach. I may have been holding the x-acto knife at the wrong angle but if you cannot open an impenetrable package with an extremely sharp knife-type device, then it should not be packaged that way!
I have noticed that sometimes posts appear to be in the wrong topic. I don’t know if this is a problem with the board or a PEBKAC error.
download google videos
Want to Save Google Videos to your hard drive to play later? Try this web tool
Download Google Videos
Brand New Apple Iphone for just 165.00USD
Dear Customers, we are committed to selling the best of items to our highly esteemed customers.Please have a look around and do inform us if there is any item you need to buy in particular that is not on our webpage.We will be very glad to provide the item to you.
We are adding products everyday. If you do not see a product you seek, just use our contact page to request it. We will have it for you, guaranteed. You should also look in the “Electronics” category, many items are listed there and are uncategorized.
We specialize in a wide range of products such as laptops, mobile phones, plasma & lcd tv, mp3 & mp4 players, video games console, digital cameras, dvd players (Etc) at cheap & affordable prices.
For Order Enquiries Contact us Via Email: sawyer@vipsaudi.com
PRODUCT LIST:
Apple:
Apple Macbook Pro**********$890
Apple Macbook Air**********$920
Apple iPhone:
Apple iPhone 4GB **********- $110
Apple iPhone 8GB **********- $135
Apple iPhone 16GB ********** $145
Apple iPhone 3G 8GB ********** $150
Apple iPhone 3G 16GB ********** $165
BlackBerry:
Blackberry Curve 8900 ********** $185
Blackberry Storm 9500 ********** $155
Blackberry Storm 9530 ********** $185
Blackberry Pearl Flip 8220 ********** $110
Blackberry Bold 9000 ********** $140
Blackberry Curve 8320 ********** $135
T-Mobile Sidekick:
T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2008********** $120
T-Mobile Shadow **********- $130
T-Mobile G1 **********- $140
T-Mobile Sidekick 3 **********- $105
Juicy Couture Sidekick 2 ********** $90
HTC:
HTC Touch Pro ********** $165
HTC Touch Diamond ********** $150
HTC Touch Cruise ********** $145
HTC Touch Diamond2********** $200
HTC Touch Pro2 ********** $220
HTC TyTN II ********** $140
HTC Touch Dual ********** $140
HTC Dream ********** $205
HTC Touch Cruise 09 ********** $220
HTC MAX 4G ********** $205
HTC Touch HD ********** $175
HTC Touch 3G ********** $165
HTC Touch Viva ********** $155
HTC S740 ********** $165
Eten:
Eten glofiish X610 ********** $145
Eten glofiish V900 ********** $245
Eten glofiish X900 ********** $195
Eten glofiish DX900 ********** $175
Eten glofiish M810 ********** $165
Eten glofiish X650 ********** $155
Eten glofiish M800 ********** $170
Nokia:
Nokia N96 16GB********** $185
Nokia E90 ********** $165
Nokia N97 ********** $205
Nokia N79 ********** $185
Nokia E71 ********** $190
Nokia E75 ********** $210
Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte ********** $215
Nokia N93i ********** $135
Nokia 8600 Luna ********** $155
Nokia 8800 Sirocco **********- $175
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic ********** $195
Sony Ericsson:
Sony Ericsson C510 ********** $195
Sony Ericsson P1 ********** $135
Sony Ericsson C905 ********** $155
Sony Ericsson W960 ********** $140
Sony Ericsson G900 ********** $160
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 ********** $185
Sony Ericsson C902 ********** $140
Sony Ericsson W902 ********** $155
Samsung:
Samsung T929 Memoir ********** $205
Samsung T919 Behold ********** $195
Samsung Giorgio Armani P520 ********** $145
Samsung i900 Omnia ********** $185
Samsung U900 Soul ********** $170
Samsung G800 ********** $165
Samsung F490 ********** $155
Video Games Console:
Playstation:
Sony PSP Slim Giga Bundle ********** $115
Sony PlayStation 80 GB Motorstorm Pack ********** $165
Sony Playstation 3 60GB ********** $150
Sony PlayStation 3 40GB ********** $135
Microsoft Xbox:
Xbox 360 Arcade Console ********** $115
Xbox 360 Pro 60GB Console ********** $145
Xbox 360 Elite 120GB Console ********** $165
Nintendo:
Nintendo DS Lite ********** $70
Nintendo Wii Console ********** $125
For Order Enquiries Contact us Via Email: sawyer@vipsaudi.com
We offer a limited thirty (90) days Money Back /Item Exchange Retrun Policy to all our customers…this goes a long way to giving you more assurance in our products and services and that you can buy with absolute confidence. We have grown from strength to strength since the past few years we started operations, with a record of at least 250 clients per week and counting, and so many who have confidence in what we do and sell.
We ship via Fedex delivery to your door step as soon as our shipping department updates your full name, contact number, shipping informations.
Every bulk purchase from us qualifies you for free shipment to your door step.
Regards
Sawyer Jack
Brand new Unlocked Nokia N97 32TGB
TLA inc is an online wholesaler for unlocked gsm cell phones and accessories and they comes with one year international warranty.
We provide convenient, cost-effective way to purchase your cell phone. you email us and obtain information about the latest products at a very competitive price.
Our latest promo is Buy 2 get one free!!!
INTERESTED BUYER SHOULD CONTACT US THROUGH
CONTACT EMAIL: TLAINC@HOTMAIL.COM
TLAINC01@GMAIL.COM
http://www.tlainc.page.tl
3G Apple iPhone (16GB)====$300usd
Apple iPhone (8GB)====$250usd
Blackberry Bold 9000====$400usd
Blackberry Curve 8320====$370usd
Blackberry Curve 8310====$350usd
HTC Touch Pro========$350usd
HTC Touch Diamond=====$320usd
HTC Touch Dual===$200usd
HTC TyTN II=====$260usd
Nokia N97 ===========$400usd
Nokia N96 (16GB)=====$350usd
Nokia N95 (8GB)=====$330usd
NOKIA E71======$300usd
NOKIA N78======$330usd
Nokia N81 (8GB)====$250usd
Nokia N95=====$280usd
Motorola A1800======$400usd
Motorola A1600=======$350usd
Motorola A810========$360usd
Motorola Z9==========370usd
Motorola RIZR Z10=====$350usd
Sony Ericsson G900====$400usd
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1===$350usd
Sony Ericsson W980i====$350usd
Sony Ericsson W902====$320usd
Sony Ericsson P1i======$300usd
Eten glofiish V900====$500usd
Eten glofiish X900====$480usd
Eten glofiish DX900====$500usd
Eten glofiish M810====$400usd
EMAIL US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING.
CONTACT EMAIL: TLAINC@HOTMAIL.COM
TLAINC01@GMAIL.COM
http://www.tlainc.page.tl
THANKS
Fs:Nokia X6,Apple iphone 3gs 32gs
We are online wholesaler for unlocked gsm cell phones and accessories and they comes with one year international warranty.
We provide convenient, cost-effective way to purchase your cell phone. you email us and obtain information about the latest products at a very competitive price.
Our latest promo is BUY 2 GET 1 FREE!!!
INTERESTED BUYER SHOULD CONTACT US THROUGH
CONTACT EMAIL: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC@HOTMAIL.COM
SKYPE: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC
Tel#: +447024071637
Brand new Apple iphone 3gs 32gb for $300usd
Brand new HTC Hero for $350usd
Brand new Sony Ericsson Satio for $300usd
Brand new Motorola Droid for $360usd
Blackberry Bold 9000====$250usd
Blackberry Curve 8320====$240usd
Blackberry Curve 8310====$220usd
HTC Touch Pro========$340usd
HTC Touch Diamond=====$250usd
HTC Touch Dual===$200usd
Nokia N97 ===========$350usd
Nokia N96 (16GB)=====$320usd
Nokia N95 (8GB)=====$280usd
1)Flash player support
2)Quick back option without going to home screen while switching between apps.
3)File browsing and storing
4)Option to attach images, file etc from email app itself.
5)Multiple signature options
6)Manual rotate gesture option
7)Notes app should be more powerful word process (fonts, text size etc)
8)All Grouping of contacts for test message e.g. friend and family groups.
9)App for grouping key social networking sites(for posting universal photos, text to all social networking sites together.
10) Auto spell check in safari browser (like mozilla) when adding text in twitter, facebook leaving comments at blog etc.
11)Build in Flash in camera for night photo shot
12) Front facing camera for video Chat
13) Use cover flow for using multitasking third party apps (limit to 5 apps, not to drain the battery life)
14)Thin quick time player app to run video downloaded from web.
15)Group notification alert or not attended tasks(missed MMS, SMS, PHONE, Chat message, meeting, event etc)on single screen.
INTERESTED BUYER SHOULD CONTACT US THROUGH
CONTACT EMAIL: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC@HOTMAIL.COM
SKYPE: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC
Tel#: +447024071637
MAY GOD BLESS YOU
Buy 2 get 1 free: HTC HD mini,Nokia 5330
We are online wholesaler for unlocked gsm cell phones and accessories and they comes with one year international warranty.
We provide convenient, cost-effective way to purchase your cell phone. you email us and obtain information about the latest products at a very competitive price.
Our latest promo is BUY 2 GET 1 FREE!!!
INTERESTED BUYER SHOULD CONTACT US THROUGH
CONTACT EMAIL: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC@HOTMAIL.COM
SKYPE: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC
Tel#: +447024071637
Brand new Apple iphone 3gs 32gb for $300usd
Brand new HTC Hero for $350usd
Brand new HTC Mini for $380usd
Brand new Sony Ericsson Satio for $300usd
Brand new Motorola Droid for $360usd
Blackberry Bold 9000====$250usd
Blackberry Curve 8320====$240usd
Blackberry Curve 8310====$220usd
HTC Touch Pro========$340usd
HTC Touch Diamond=====$250usd
HTC Touch Dual===$200usd
Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition ====$350usd
Nokia N97 ===========$350usd
Nokia N96 (16GB)=====$320usd
Nokia N95 (8GB)=====$280usd
Nikon Digital Cameras
Nikon D700 Digital camera ..700usd
Nikon D40 Digital Camera with GII 18-55mm Lens $300usd
Nikon D80 Digital Camera 400usd
Nikon D90 Digital camera 500usd
Nikon D3 12.1MP DSLR Camera..$1200.00USD
Nikon D60 $230.00USD
Nikon D300 Camera .$600USD
Nikon D200 Digital Camera 550usd
1)Flash player support
2)Quick back option without going to home screen while switching between apps.
3)File browsing and storing
4)Option to attach images, file etc from email app itself.
5)Multiple signature options
6)Manual rotate gesture option
7)Notes app should be more powerful word process (fonts, text size etc)
8)All Grouping of contacts for test message e.g. friend and family groups.
9)App for grouping key social networking sites(for posting universal photos, text to all social networking sites together.
10) Auto spell check in safari browser (like mozilla) when adding text in twitter, facebook leaving comments at blog etc.
11)Build in Flash in camera for night photo shot
12) Front facing camera for video Chat
13) Use cover flow for using multitasking third party apps (limit to 5 apps, not to drain the battery life)
14)Thin quick time player app to run video downloaded from web.
15)Group notification alert or not attended tasks(missed MMS, SMS, PHONE, Chat message, meeting, event etc)on single screen.
INTERESTED BUYER SHOULD CONTACT US THROUGH
CONTACT EMAIL: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC@HOTMAIL.COM
SKYPE: NEXTLEVELELECT.INC
Tel#: +447024071637
MAY GOD BLESS YOU