Viacom Sues Google for $1 Billion
Viacom - the owner of MTV Networks - has taken out a lawsuit against Youtube owner, Google for $1 Billion dollars in damages. The suit claims that Youtube has broadcast many infringing videos from its channels of Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and VH1:
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.
YouTube's soaring popularity has been a cause of fascination but also fear among the owners of traditional media outlets, who worry that YouTube's displaying of user-uploaded clips from their programs _ without compensation _ will lure away viewers and ad dollars from cable and broadcast TV.
Viacom is especially at risk because many of its shows, which include "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," "The Colbert Report" and "South Park" are aimed at younger audiences who also are heavy Internet users.
The lawsuit came nearly six weeks after Viacom demanded that YouTube remove more than 100,000 unauthorized clips after several months of talks over licensing arrangements broke down. YouTube agreed at the time to comply and said it cooperates with all copyright holders to remove programming as soon as they're notified.
But since then, Viacom has identified more than 50,000 additional unauthorized clips, Viacom spokesman Jeremy Zweig said.
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