Youtube

Google's Eric Schmidt: Viacom's lawsuit is 'just a mistake'

On stage at D5, on what will later be known as Google Day, Walt Mossberg asked Google CEO Eric Schmidt about the the $1 billion Viacom lawsuit against YouTube. "It was probably just a mistake," he said.

Some mistake.

Schmidt began his upcoming legal defense on the stage: "It's really about the DMCA. It's pretty clear that there's a safe haven for sites like ours."

Walt asked if Schmidt believed in intellectual property. He does, but said that the law says that in this case responsibility for enforcing copyright should be shared, and … Read more

Custom D5 Stephen Colbert video pulled from D5 site, but it's back now

Update: The video is back. All is explained on the D5 site. Here it is:

The intro for Viacom CEO Phillipe Dauman at D5 came from Stephen Colbert (a Viacom employee), via tape. It was very funny. But not nearly as funny as the fact that the video, which was then posted to the D5 site, was quickly removed after Viacom's lawyers demanded it.

And let's be clear: It's not like this video was an episode of the Colbert Report. It had no ads and it never aired on a Viacom channel. Furthermore, Dauman said on stage … Read more

New RealPlayer allows YouTube video download

Real Networks has announced a new version of their RealPlayer today that will be available as a PC-only public Beta in June. The player allows users to download and organize nearly all embedded internet video content (Flash, WMV, QuickTime) including content from popular video sites like YouTube, Comedy Central, and of course, CNET. The player was demonstrated for me and actually looks pretty impressive. The new video download feature integrates fairly elegantly into your Web browser (yes, it works on Firefox). It works by temporarily displaying a small, fairly unobtrusive download tab in the right top corner of any video … Read more

YouTube founders: Video ads coming

At the D5 conference, YouTube founders (and now Google employees) Chad Hurley and Steve Chen were just interviewed by Walt Mossberg. In a wide-ranging interview, Hurley and Chen discussed today's EMI deal, copyright issues, and advertising. Some highlights:

The EMI deal Regarding the deal with EMI, Hurley said it will open up opportunities for YouTube users, although in a somewhat backward fashion: "It's about creating new marketing opportunities," he said. Music rights holders will be able to "identify when their music is being used, and earn revenues against that." Presumably the revenues will be from advertising, since this will "give users a free and legal way to use" this media.

In practice, it will work with YouTube's audio swap tool, which Hurley said is being expanded and improved.

Copyrights

Walt tried to nail the founders on their apparent laissez-faire attitude regarding copyrighted material. Hurley said, "In early 2006, we were the first to release content management tools, a way for people to identify their content with metadata." Also, he says, "We've done a good job of educating people on copyright law."

Walt: "Wait. Wait. Wait."

Hurley relents a bit: "We see this as a search algorithm [issue]. We're running trial with audio and visual fingerprinting." In the Fall, he said, "everyone will have access to these advanced tools." … Read more

Steve Jobs: Apple TV getting YouTubed

At D5, Walt Mossberg interviewed Steve Jobs. A lot of interesting talk about the business, but at the end, Jobs dropped some real news on us:

"Wouldn't it be great if you could see YouTube in your living room?" he asked. In mid-June, Apple TV will get a new menu item: YouTube.

Interactivity (search, in particular), uses a TiVo-like letter grid, which is slower than a real keyboard (hey, maybe you'll be able to use your iPhone as a remote?), but when you need to locate the latest robot dances, it does the job.

Other video … Read more

N.J. Turnpike Authority hops ride on 'Let's sue YouTube!' bandwagon

YouTube just can't seem to keep those lawsuits off its back. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has sued the massive video-sharing portal for copyright infringement concerning a widely-circulated video of car crash footage that was taped with an NJTA camera.

The crash in question took place on the N.J. Turnpike on May 10 and resulted in one fatality. The NJTA's complaint, a copy of which was obtained by CNET News.com, says that "the video serves no worthwhile purpose and shows a tremendous lack of common human decency towards the family of the victim." It'… Read more

KFC goes UGC

In a move that will certainly strike fear in the hearts of creative ad agency employees, a major advertiser has created a new television ad using nothing but viral video from YouTube, MySpace and other such sites.

Fast food company KFC has turned to user-generated content, also known as UGC, to advertise that its food has "0 grams of trans fat per serving" but with "the same great taste." Why bother paying ad agencies to come up with a fresh idea for a commercial, along with writers, actors and filmmakers, when you can just grab free … Read more

'Electric Slide' creator backs down from DMCA claim

The man who claims to have created the famed Electric Slide has backed down from a legal claim against an engineer who posted a YouTube video of people doing the dance, the Electronic Frontier Foundation announced.

The EFF had represented the engineer, Kyle Machulia, in a lawsuit against the dance's creator, Richard Silver. But on Tuesday, the EFF said Silver had backed down from his claim and his general "online video takedown campaign" and agreed to allow anyone noncommercial use of the dance.

In February, Silver filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notice with YouTube demanding … Read more

NBC Universal allowed to argue against YouTube

A U.S. district judge has denied a request by Viacom to enter a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of journalist Bob Tur, who is suing YouTube for copyright infringement. The judge will, however, allow NBC Universal to file an amicus brief in support of Tur.

Tur is the chopper-piloting journalist who accused YouTube in a lawsuit filed last summer with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles of allowing users to post clips he shot of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Google, which acquired YouTube last October, has asked the court to dismiss the case.

Viacom and NBC Universal … Read more