Because of MPAA, RIAA, Sony, Viacom and other the others who do not know their ass from there future audience — I have not bought any music, movies or other media. I have watched it on TV and surf the net and forget the rest. I have only downloaded and paid for 1 ringtone.

So my money goes for other fine pursuits!! their actions have caused me to be less of a consumer.

BTW – do not download music movies or anything else.
There is just too much Quality Original stuff to view created by individuals that share their work under same principle as Firefox. The control that the big media companies have had for my eyeballs has been broken – original content is just as good, if not better.

But any movies or cd’s I have bought have been preused, just like used cars.

See it is easy to break the business model of the big greedy media companies, who do not get the new business paradigm!!!!

They gots competition that they have not even realized they have as they piss off the public with rootkits, drm and all sort of limitations.

When I buy a pre-owned Chev, Ford or Toyota – the manufacturers no longer have any say in what I do with the vehicles!!!

so why is it different for media??

I have to go along with #4, at the local flea market I can find hundreds of used DVDs for $5 or less, several permanent vendors even will replace damaged DVDs no questions asked. Same goes for music CDs, prices vary from $1 to $5 per CD and they actually have a great selection versus what the local stores have, mainly black profanity, britney spears or country. I have no qualms about buying used, shoot my truck was used, my house was used when I bought it so why not music and movies especially since the big studios want top dollar for garbage. Actually if my local flea market is any sort of example, there are probaly millions of DVDs and CDs sold or traded every weekend just here in the US and the big studios don’t see one cent of the money.

Flea Markets..now thats what the big studios forgot … the RIAA wanted the local pubs to pay royalties .. now # 6 .. the RIAA goons will be scouring FLea Markets all over the US trying to stop and slapping local vendors by being ” unauthorized Vendors” from trying them to stop reselling cd’s or dvd’s … what’s this world coming to, next you will have the asians going door to door selling pirated DVD’s for $4 … lil Jon Rocks ..Jon stewart should add him as a regular on his show … i’d totally watch him everytime i watch the daily show on you tube

It seems almost no day, or at least week passes, without the constant Techdirt criticisms of so called “modern” companies falling behind the times and losing business opportunities. It honestly gets tiresome. It’s well and good to be optimistic about the future of technology, but if the big guns are failing to see the light in such dramatic fashion… frankly, let them fall behind and fail where others will see the light and succeed. It that not the principle of technology? The succession of better systems? In this case, a better system of business.

Actually looks to me that Viacom is saying, have fun with our content, just don’t upload it verbatum. There are thousands of VH1 and Mtv video mashups still on YouTube along with many Danny phantom and Avator fanvids. Viacom is saying get crazy and original with our property just don’t dupe it . . . I just don’t see the issue here.

#10, you raise some valid points, however, I have a few problems with what Viacom is doing.

First, it is true that they can do what they want with their stuff, but when you have to shell out money to create a service that is a pain in the butt to use and implement, it doesn’t work very well.

Second, Youtube offers a free alternative to their site. All they have to do is upload the videos with some ads and they have a free hosting service, an easy was to embed videos, and a bigger database (the only way I found those clips on comedy central’s site was through Google’s personalized homepage

Finally, the reliability of the site is really bad. I have had times when I get the video perfectly and then there are times when it lags really bad, or even worse, the videos won’t play at all. I have actually seen the videos go from one, to the next, to the next, and only play the ads.

All in all, Viacom made a stupid choice, but at least they have the clips online. That at least is a step in the right direction

I understand Viacom’s point of view, but what I don’t understand why Viacom (Old media) wants to make enemies of Google, the #1 property in the New Media.

The more I think about it, the more I think that this is a generational gap issue, and unwillingness for the old paradigm to meet with the new paradigm, and vice-versa.

I read everywhere that Older, Established companies are having trouble working with companies that are established in the new media. Brick and mortar companies having trouble getting information from eBay to investigate possible shopplifting rings and e-Fencing, RIAA vs. Napster, et al, and now Old Media Conglomerant Viacom vs Google.

In virtually each press release, the new media company brings collaboration and community as their piece to value chain, and ultimately promote in ways not understood by the older companies out there.

For the most part, the successful newer companies exist because they challenged the paradigm, and brought creative solutions to the table. I may be speaking in generalities here, but the Newer Companies internal company culture is one of promotion, recognition, and thinking outside of the box. Whereas, the older industries, and established companies seem to put too much empahsis on the heirarchy and process, and law.

Folks from the WWII era, who lived through the depression, were happy to have a job, and generally kept that job as long as they lived. This ideology was instilled in the “Babyboomer Generation” which makes up the typical older industries. That was how they were raised.

The 30-35 year olds, who are running the “New Media” companies like Larry and Serge of Google are more focused on skillset, and adaptability. A 30-35 year old is sometimes looked down upon at the Newer Companies if they lack varied experience. This can actually be a big negative.

So where are we going with all this ranting? Well, Google’s business model of identifying opportunities, and adapting, and catering to the customer is the opposite of Viacom’s model of Creation of content for the masses. We’re in an era where One Solution (or TV show, Song, et al) for all doesn’t work anymore. Today’s consumer of content is picky and wants specific storylines or screenwriters, directors, songwriters, etc.

It’s really not a question of who is going to do it, just a question of when the old media conglomerates are going to realize that dealing with the newbies is going to be a lot like how the Babyboomers of today relate, and work with their offspring.

It’s ironic to think that sometime, they won’t have to pass the torch to the new generation!

Viacom and other content providers can fight, sue, create their own website, but eventually, the Sumner Redstones of the world are going to have to still invite their sons over for Thankgsiving. (Sumner’s Son recently sued Dad for some reason. I hope that relationship going better, Sumner.)

I’ll shut up now.