Dutch Viacommer talks peace with YouTube

On the surface this might just look like one super media outlet going after another for copyright infringement. And really, that's the claim. Viacom claims that Google's YouTube allowed copyrighted material (namely clips from Comedy Central programs "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report") on their site and then refused to take them down. Google responded that as soon as the clips were identified by Viacom they were removed.
Seems fairly straight forward, right? Well, not exactly. If you look a little deeper, Viacom didn't have a problem with the clips until it discovered that Google was generating advertising revenue through YouTube. Viacom decided that it wanted the advertising revenue instead (since apparently the paid advertisers and cable operating fees it already gets for the shows isn't enough). Therefore, Viacom demanded the clips be removed from YouTube (which was done) and decided to through its considerable assets behind (future) YouTube competitor Joost. Joost is a new startup that also looks to offer video content online, but by taking a big stake in Joost, Viacom has ensured that it will get a piece of the advertising revenue stream that Joost will generate.

All right, again that might just seem like mere corporate greed, which it definitely is, but if that were all you probably wouldn't bat an eye. I mean, billionaires filing frivolous lawsuits against each other doesn't really effect the common man very much, does it? But wait, there's more.

Joost, it turns out, is the brainchild of the creators of file swapping software Kazaa (I'd provide a link but it's riddled with spyware). Kazaa, as you may recall, had the pants sued off it by the recording and motion picture studios, and had to pay damages to the tune of $100 million.

Perhaps now you're beginning to see the true picture of what is going on here. Viacom, as it turns out, owns several movie studios (including Paramount and Dreamworks) and also MTV and its music subsidiaries. Now, Viacom is suing Google for $1 billion in a bid, not for increased revenue, but to get something for nothing. If it prevails against Google, it can both pay its legal costs and also reimburse itself the investment money it poured into Joost. Joost, as it tuns out, was created by the very same people that Viacom was involved in suing out of existence (not to mention it helped so 10 year-olds for millions for using the Kazaa software) for enabling users to give content away for free.

This is, truly, the pinnacle of hypocrisy, to the point where Viacom is violating its own Business Conduct Statement. I guess in the world of mega-business, you are only responsible for sticking to your own stated code of conduct if the Feds are looking at you. Otherwise, you can throw them out the window to make a few extra dollars, all at the expense of the consumer (and really, who cares about them anyway?).