TV clips may have to leave YouTube

By Jami Knowles

DeKALB | Students have said goodbye to free music sharing and may soon wave goodbye to free video clips on YouTube.

Media companies are at it again as News Corp and NBC Universal have teamed up in an effort to control Internet distribution of several shows.

Hit shows such as House, 24 and others owned by the duo will be offered, but not just through one Web site. Several other popular Web sites such as Yahoo, AOL, MSN and MySpace, owned by News Corp, will comprise a network which will offer full length TV shows, movies, and video clips.

The Web sites are aiming to start this summer, and will be supported by advertising revenues. General Motors Corporation, Cadbury Schweppes PLC and Intel Corp. already signed up to fund the venture.

Students at NIU might not be so excited about the venture.

“It seems like every time something is successful there is always some corporate business trying to set limitations or attempt to make money off other people’s success,” said junior communications major Tyler Drendal.

In the beginning, the venture was backed by several large companies. News Corp owns Fox broadcasting network and Twentieth Century Fox television and movie studios. NBC is owned by General Electric Co. which also controls several cable channels like Bravo and Universal film studios.

“Developments such as this rival to YouTube signal that large media corporations will one day dominate the Internet, much like they do print media, television, radio, and music,” said assistant journalism professor Bill Cassidy.

NBC and News Corp. are not the first media companies to start testing the market for streaming full shows or events online. CBS is offering NCAA basketball games online this month.

Also, Disney owned ABC began streaming shows such as Lost. Shows like these are also supported by ad revenue. ESPN, also run by Disney, has been streaming highlights and video feeds of sports for numerous years as well.

CBS and ABC have continued to place video online, using ad revenue to fund their cause, bringing them to the forefront of a new market for business.

“The Internet has been hailed as the most democratic of mediums in that it gives us all an opportunity to be heard,” Cassidy said. “However, big media corporations are, in effect, cashing in on the Internet with an increased presence online, which exerts influence on Internet content.”

In addition to mounting competition, YouTube and its owner, Google Inc, are facing an international copyright infringement lawsuit brought on by Viacom. On March 13, CNN.com reported Viacom, owner of MTV Networks and Comedy Central, demanded YouTube pull more than 100,000 video clips off its Web site uploaded by users. Viacom is suing for more than $1 billion.

YouTube maintains its material is protected by the law as long as the site promptly takes down any material when asked to.

Jami Knowles is a Web Reporter for the Northern Star.