Viacom sues google for 1 billion dollars!

Akileese · 03-13-2007, 05:02 PM

DailyTech - Viacom Sues Google for $1 Billion

I was wondering why every south park video clip had been taken down and replaced with some shitty message devoted to Viacom. Well, now I know why. They claim it costs then like, 0.66 cents per view (which is ludicrous because the only reason Youtube gets that many views is because it's youtube). In my eyes, I think they have the right to sue, I just don't know if it will do any good. If anything, it really sounds like they're suing more to get exposure for their own clip site than anything else as it was specifically mentioned.

Thoughts?

RiskyChris · 03-13-2007, 05:06 PM

Google will settle by buying Viacom.

nosf · 03-13-2007, 05:09 PM

A billion dollars? Who the fuck is representing Viacom, Dr. Evil?

Aulirophile · 03-13-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiskyChris

Google will settle by buying Viacom.

That'd be hilarious. The company that put up a, reasonably complex, math problem on a billboard that led to a series of increasing difficult problems and eventually to an online application buying the company that informed us ".002 cents and .002 dollars is the same thing."

I can't imagine they really get $.66 every in ad revenue though every time someone watches something on their site, seems a bit high and almost certainly doesn't include the actual bandwith costs and such. Either way I think this is going to hurt them more then anything. Most people really dislike Viacom as it is and everyone loves Google. Even if Viacom is in the "right" (not taking a side either way here) they are going to be painted as a kind of pathetic dork trying to bully the popular kids into letting him play to because teacher said so.

Unidin · 03-13-2007, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aulirophile

That'd be hilarious. The company that put up a, reasonably complex, math problem on a billboard that led to a series of increasing difficult problems and eventually to an online application buying the company that informed us ".002 cents and .002 dollars is the same thing."

I can't imagine they really get $.66 every in ad revenue though every time someone watches something on their site, seems a bit high and almost certainly doesn't include the actual bandwith costs and such. Either way I think this is going to hurt them more then anything. Most people really dislike Viacom as it is and everyone loves Google. Even if Viacom is in the "right" (not taking a side either way here) they are going to be painted as a kind of pathetic dork trying to bully the popular kids into letting him play to because teacher said so.

Viacom = Verizon?

Kaxmax · 03-13-2007, 05:28 PM

Honestly, I'm surprised it took this long for someone to drop a lawsuit in Google's lap. The ruling here is going to set an interesting standard in regards to DMCA/Safe harbor laws. This is Viacom we're talking about here, Google has no chance in bullying them.

Hippos II · 03-13-2007, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unidin

Viacom = Verizon?

This guy is a true fucking legend.

RiskyChris · 03-13-2007, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unidin

Viacom = Verizon?

As far as I can tell, they're equivalent.

Tea on tuesday · 03-13-2007, 06:50 PM

I'm pretty sure this is a power move by Viacom to broker an ad revenue sharing deal.

Ether · 03-13-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiskyChris

As far as I can tell, they're equivalent.

So I Wiki it to clear it up and get this page, probably won't last long haha.

Viacom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit: Nm, fixed already, was huge page of VIACOM SUCKS LOLOLOL!!!

Flinch · 03-13-2007, 07:00 PM

It's not like Google isn't trying to find a reasonable resolution:

BBC NEWS | Business | Viacom will sue YouTube for $1bn

Quote:

Google, which paid $1.65bn for YouTube last year, has been trying to win permission from media companies to broadcast output legally on YouTube in exchange for payment, avoiding the threat of legal action.

Separately, the BBC has struck a content deal with YouTube to showcase short clips of BBC content.

The BBC hopes that the deal will help it reach YouTube's monthly audience of more than 70 million users and drive extra traffic to its own website.

The corporation will also get a share of the advertising revenue generated by traffic to the new YouTube channels.

Fucking Viacom. It's shit like this that makes me wish retirement is mandatory.

I think Viacom's net worth is like $27.5B right now, so Google may very well be able to buy and sell their asses. I fucking hope so.

Akileese · 03-13-2007, 07:35 PM

See, my dad saw this and being an old guard type said "oh, google is in trouble". I said to him, "Are you kidding? They payed almost 2 billion for youtube alone. They could buy viacom just like that."

They're striking content deals in which they pay them loads of cash so they can hosts the clips. Viacom wants to push their own clip shit because they feel they'll make more money that way. They'll end up getting bought up. Fucking serves them right. Rather than trying to make a shitload of money by doing what BBC did, they want to be stubborn. It's their own fault because they're digging their own grave.

Blumpster · 03-13-2007, 07:41 PM

Google buy Viacom? For some reason I don't see that happening.

RiskyChris · 03-13-2007, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blumpster

Google buy Viacom? For some reason I don't see that happening.

Maybe because Viacom is worth more than Google, for starters? It was a joke.

krazrussian · 03-13-2007, 07:57 PM

VIacom's trading at $27.58 but its market cap is probably north of $50 BB. Viacom is not the kind of company you can buy. Viacom's the kind that buys other companies. Only one publically-traded firm in the world right now could buy Viacom right now and thats Exxon because they've got the cash. Google is still only been public for less than 3 years. They don't have the cash to make a huge buyout and they can't do a stock-for stock (who the hell is going to take Google stock - one of the most volatile large caps on the market at $440 per share). Besides, Google has no reason to buy Viacom. Media is a small source of their actual revenue and Google's not in the television business, nor do they need to be.

It would be interesting to see how this plays out though. I know some people have been able to get their programs removed from youtube (George Carlin) but actually winning a lawsuit is a tough sell. Since youtube doesn't legally allow downloads this can't fall under Napster laws so I find it hard to see them winning. I think ultimately google settles for a negligible amount and removes full-length content from youtube (which is technically already supposed to have happend) but there are some older programs that are still full-length.

03-13-2007, 05:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kaxmax Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,982 +0 Internets	Honestly, I'm surprised it took this long for someone to drop a lawsuit in Google's lap. The ruling here is going to set an interesting standard in regards to DMCA/Safe harbor laws. This is Viacom we're talking about here, Google has no chance in bullying them. Last edited by Kaxmax : 03-13-2007 at 05:46 PM.

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03-13-2007, 05:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
RiskyChris Safety Dance Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: West Lafayette Posts: 5,525 -3 Internets	Google will settle by buying Viacom.

03-13-2007, 05:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
nosf Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 505 +1 Internets	A billion dollars? Who the fuck is representing Viacom, Dr. Evil?

03-13-2007, 06:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tea on tuesday Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,567 +18 Internets	I'm pretty sure this is a power move by Viacom to broker an ad revenue sharing deal.

03-13-2007, 07:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Blumpster . Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Washington Posts: 1,594 -2 Internets	Google buy Viacom? For some reason I don't see that happening.

03-13-2007, 07:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
krazrussian In Soviet Union, Everquest plays YOU Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 126 +0 Internets	VIacom's trading at $27.58 but its market cap is probably north of $50 BB. Viacom is not the kind of company you can buy. Viacom's the kind that buys other companies. Only one publically-traded firm in the world right now could buy Viacom right now and thats Exxon because they've got the cash. Google is still only been public for less than 3 years. They don't have the cash to make a huge buyout and they can't do a stock-for stock (who the hell is going to take Google stock - one of the most volatile large caps on the market at $440 per share). Besides, Google has no reason to buy Viacom. Media is a small source of their actual revenue and Google's not in the television business, nor do they need to be. It would be interesting to see how this plays out though. I know some people have been able to get their programs removed from youtube (George Carlin) but actually winning a lawsuit is a tough sell. Since youtube doesn't legally allow downloads this can't fall under Napster laws so I find it hard to see them winning. I think ultimately google settles for a negligible amount and removes full-length content from youtube (which is technically already supposed to have happend) but there are some older programs that are still full-length.