TV Networks Consider Cooperating to Counter YouTube

[Chris Gohlke]

http://news.com.com/TV+networks+may+form+anti-YouTube+cabal/2100-1025_3-6142345.html?tag=newsmap

"Four major TV networks are considering creating a jointly owned Web site to offer their programming online rather than have to chase down pirated clips on YouTube, a source close to the talks confirmed Monday. Fox, Viacom, CBS and NBC Universal have been in talks over the last few months, according to the source, who asked to remain anonymous. "We are approaching it seriously," the source said. "They are ongoing and preliminary discussions... Everybody wants to figure out the right (online business) model." "

While I doubt they can all work together to get this done (ABC is already out), it would be pretty effective having one central location with a common interface to get all of your network television.

[Chris Gohlke]

http://news.com.com/TV+networks+may+form+anti-YouTube+cabal/2100-1025_3-6142345.html?tag=newsmap

"Four major TV networks are considering creating a jointly owned Web site to offer their programming online rather than have to chase down pirated clips on YouTube, a source close to the talks confirmed Monday. Fox, Viacom, CBS and NBC Universal have been in talks over the last few months, according to the source, who asked to remain anonymous. "We are approaching it seriously," the source said. "They are ongoing and preliminary discussions... Everybody wants to figure out the right (online business) model." "

While I doubt they can all work together to get this done (ABC is already out), it would be pretty effective having one central location with a common interface to get all of your network television.

[aroma]

Maybe I'm just being naive here, but could someone explain to me how having clips of shows on a service such as YouTube actually hurts the networks? It's not like people are watching entire shows on YouTube instead of a network station.

[Chris Gohlke]

It is all about having control of your content.

[whydidnt]

Originally Posted by Chris Gohlke

"... Everybody wants to figure out the right (online business) model." "

This statement probably will be their undoing. I read this as "We are currently arguing about how to split the revenue from this partnership, since we all think our own content is king".

aroma is correct that having clips of network shows on YouTube is actually a form of free advertising. However, so far it seems only CBS has figured this out. The others are too locked into protecting their current business model at any cost to think of new ways to market their product.

[Vincent Ferrari]

If you build it, they won't necessarily come.

That's the lesson none of these content providers seem to be learning.

It's all about mindshare, so you want your content where the most mindshare is. Right now, that venue is YouTube, not some upstart. Not saying you can't do both, but why not have your content in a venue where it gets MILLIONS of hits?

I should be running a network.