YouTube's Legitimization Continues

 
By Sherri October 09, 2006



The writing's been on the wall for a while and now it seems impossible to ignore. The days of YouTube being about nothing more than users broadcasting themselves are over.

Earlier deals, such as those with NBC and Warner Music Group, began to chink away at the peer-to-peer only atmosphere created on YouTube. Now, in a move to further legitimize its offerings, YouTube has stuck independent deals with CBS, Vivendi's Universal Music Group and Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

Some are heralding the deals as a move to "befriend content providers and avoid copyright-infringement lawsuits."

All of this, of course, comes on the heels of reported talks between YouTube and Google for a possible $1.6 billion takeover of the video sharing site.

The latest deals will give YouTube "short-form" video content for a CBS channel. The network will also test new technology that will enable it to find and remove copyrighted materials from the site if it so chooses.

Vivendi's deal will give YouTube users access to tons of music videos. The company also intends to filter out copyrighted material from YouTube it hasn't authorized to be on the site.

Sony's deal will also provide for video content, but Sony has said it will let site users include some catalog materials in their own video uploads.

"YouTube is committed to balancing the needs of the fan community with those of copyright holders," said Chad Hurley, chief executive of San Mateo, Calif.-based YouTube.

This in and of itself isn't a bad thing. The face of YouTube is changing. I'm pretty sure fans have seen it coming and they understand the need.

But, one caution to YouTube, don't let that balance sway too far in the commercial direction or YouTube won't be YouTube any longer. TheirTube maybe, but not YouTube.

Related:
Can Google Handle YouTube?
NBC Makes Deal With the Devil(YouTube)
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