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Google Inc. is in talks to acquire online video site YouTube Inc. for roughly $1.6 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. The discussions are still at a sensitive stage and could well break off, this person says.A spokeswoman for closely held YouTube could not be reached for comment. A Google spokesman said, "We don't comment on rumors and speculation." Rumors of such talks were reported earlier on the TechCrunch blog.
joined:Dec 29, 2003
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Why? Hasn't slowed Google down yet - why would it now?
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joined:Dec 29, 2003
posts:5428
votes: 0
Brett,
not sure how to read this comment. The link you posted reminds us that people are waiting for a deep pocketed owner to sue; youtube right now is not cash rich.
Google probably is hoping that they can reach an agreement with major content owners to share revenue, but that leaves out many smaller ones.
Google will not have to share anything but the IP address of those posting videos. Google is an isp, and they have 100% safe harbor protection. There is zero liability for Google in buying YouTube. This aint Napster.
joined:Dec 29, 2003
posts:5428
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Sure, but once the good (copyrighted) content is removed, why visit youtube? To see some dopey teen tell us show his day was? Sure some will still leave the content, but not enough IMO. Time will tell of course. I am sure Google has a plan, and if they fail, they fail. It's part of doing business.
Sure, but once the good (copyrighted) content is removed
Not all the protected content is going away... expect more deals like this [news.bbc.co.uk]
Google will brush them away like flies
Or, they may attract them like flies to the honey pot.
Google is subpoenaing documents from its two biggest competitors, Microsoft and Yahoo, in an effort to defend itself in copyright lawsuits filed against it by publishers and authors.chinks in their armor may be showing [webmasterworld.com]
If google plans on cracking down on that once they take over, what it will turn into is a site like revver. Even their "Featured" videos on the home page only get a few views.
I don't think anyone will agree but I think it has alot to do with how a website feels. YouTube feels homegrown, almost underground and that's why people flock to it. They feel like when they watch a video on there they have found something unique, no matter what it is.
Once google takes over and tries to integrate its g-mail, checkout, and whatever other beta crap it makes, it will quickly lose it's appeal.
joined:Dec 29, 2003
posts:5428
votes: 0
joined:Dec 29, 2003
posts:5428
votes: 0
Aquiring YouTube will make Google the uncontested leader in on demand video and many of us feel a platform such as youtube will replace television in the future.
As far as potential lawsuits go companies will have to think long and hard about whether they want to be partners or try to compete with the Google empire.
I would surely compare it to the advent of movies over radio.
There is a lot of big money waitng to be made by corporations and webmasters alike.
[techcrunch.com...]
What if they allowed users to sign up for a type of AdSense where you can place video ads before your clip and get a cut of the profit like publishers get from their websites now. Maybe they even limit companies in their video ads to say 10 seconds as opposed to 20-30 seconds so they are less annoying and more creative. If people can get money from placing videos, that should get more people to put more videos on the site.
Not sure if it would work but could be interesting.