First Viacom didn't want its stuff on YouTube. Then it did. Now, once again, it doesn't. So some poor schmos at YouTube are looking at missing the Super Bowl as they have to pull clips from Viacom shows. The guesstimate for the amount of clips on there is about 100,000.
Viacom is, of course, one of the biggest media entities out there, owner of MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central among others. MTV has its own licensing deal with YouTube so it won't be affected (oh boy) but the biggest hurt will be the pulling of clips from South Park," "the Colbert Report," and the mighty "Daily Show." The fact that a lot of people probably watch clips of "Colbert "or "The Daily Show" just online or the prevalence of clips from both shows being all over the internet probably doesn't mean that much to the suits who run the company but our guess is that both of those shows gain popularity and importance because of it. That's why it doesn't make that much sense to kick them off. Even Jon Stewart seems to get it. Besides, how are we going to post hilarious bits from either show?
Of course, this could all be because Viacom wants to create its own version of YouTube. While all the other companies probably dream the same thing, most of them have made their peace with YouTube and have swung some sort of deal with them. Which makes what Viacom is doing that much crazier.
Oh, in honor of it all, here's a great bit from "The Daily Show" featuring the poetry of Dick Cheney. We love Jon's Cheney imitation.
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The suits never get this. They never understand that first radio, and now the internet are FREE ADVERTISMENTS for their product.
People who taped songs off the radio got into bands and later bought their albums and went to their concerts. People who watch the Daily Show on Youtube end up buying basic cable then watching the show and buying the merchandise.
Odd example, but Martha Stewart and Oprah totally get this. And they can buy the suits over and over. Law and buisiness schools make idiots out of everyone.