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Opinion

Getting to grips with Internet piracy

In case you are not among the growing number of Japanese visitors to YouTube (http://www.youtube.com), you may not be aware that YouTube is the wildly popular English-language Internet site that allows users to upload and share their videos with a worldwide audience of millions.

According to Net Ratings, a firm that keeps track of Internet trends, Japanese visitors to the wildly popular site increased from 200,000 a month in December 2005 to an astonishing 4.1 million by May 2006.

Through the site users can access content that ranges from homemade videos of pets to clips of current and vintage television programs. Music videos, movie trailers and live concerts captured on mobile phone cameras can also be viewed by the site's grateful users.

This has led media and entertainment companies to cry "piracy." Some of these companies have taken legal action to force YouTube to remove "pirated" material. A spokesperson for Johnny's Jimusho, the nation's leading talent agency, said the company was considering legal action to make sure its performers' rights were not violated by unauthorized distribution of its material.

Easier said than done.

YouTube is said to receive some 35,000 new submissions per day, making efforts to find unauthorized material "akin to finding the proverbial needle in the haystack," according to one report. NHK and NTV have also threatened legal action to stop their material from appearing on YouTube and other sites.

Perhaps these media companies should follow the example of U.S. broadcaster NBC, which recently reached a deal with YouTube. The move came after NBC, like NHK, NTV and Johnny's Jimusho, attempted to use strong-arm tactics to remove material from the site and found it backfired.

What happened was: NBC tried to force YouTube to remove an uploaded segment of the popular comedy show "Saturday Night Live" and ended up facing a public relations nightmare. Fans of the show drew unflattering David and Goliath comparisons between the media giant and the free, user-run site.

Under the terms of the new agreement, YouTube will promote NBC's fall programs and other shows for one year. The site will host an official NBC Channel with exclusive clips and long-form promos for popular programs. NBC also plans to run a contest on YouTube that will allow users to submit their own 20-second promotion videos. The network will promote the contest on air, and winners' videos will appear on NBC and on the show's official Web site.

This seems to be the obvious solution and one that provides a win-win situation for all. As information technology moves from the exclusive domain of corporations and into the hands of the average person, it is no longer possible for media giants to battle the interactive nature of new media technology, and should welcome the public participation in the marketing of their products.

(469 words)

Discussion: Do you think this approach will work?

Shukan ST: July 14, 2006

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Opinion Getting to grips with Internet piracy By Jennifer Matsui In case you are not among the growing number of Japanese visitors to YouTube (http://www.youtube.com), you may not be aware that YouTube is the wildly popular English-language Internet site that allows users to upload and share their videos with a worldwide audience of millions. According to Net Ratings, a firm that keeps track of Internet trends, Japanese visitors to the wildly popular site increased from 200,000 a month in December 2005 to an astonishing 4.1 million by May 2006. Through the site users can access content that ranges from homemade videos of pets to clips of current and vintage television programs. Music videos, movie trailers and live concerts captured on mobile phone cameras can also be viewed by the site's grateful users. This has led media and entertainment companies to cry "piracy." Some of these companies have taken legal action to force YouTube to remove "pirated" material. A spokesperson for Johnny's Jimusho, the nation's leading talent agency, said the company was considering legal action to make sure its performers' rights were not violated by unauthorized distribution of its material. Easier said than done. YouTube is said to receive some 35,000 new submissions per day, making efforts to find unauthorized material "akin to finding the proverbial needle in the haystack," according to one report. NHK and NTV have also threatened legal action to stop their material from appearing on YouTube and other sites. Perhaps these media companies should follow the example of U.S. broadcaster NBC, which recently reached a deal with YouTube. The move came after NBC, like NHK, NTV and Johnny's Jimusho, attempted to use strong-arm tactics to remove material from the site and found it backfired. What happened was: NBC tried to force YouTube to remove an uploaded segment of the popular comedy show "Saturday Night Live" and ended up facing a public relations nightmare. Fans of the show drew unflattering David and Goliath comparisons between the media giant and the free, user-run site. Under the terms of the new agreement, YouTube will promote NBC's fall programs and other shows for one year. The site will host an official NBC Channel with exclusive clips and long-form promos for popular programs. NBC also plans to run a contest on YouTube that will allow users to submit their own 20-second promotion videos. The network will promote the contest on air, and winners' videos will appear on NBC and on the show's official Web site. This seems to be the obvious solution and one that provides a win-win situation for all. As information technology moves from the exclusive domain of corporations and into the hands of the average person, it is no longer possible for media giants to battle the interactive nature of new media technology, and should welcome the public participation in the marketing of their products. (469 words) Discussion: Do you think this approach will work? Shukan ST: July 14, 2006 (C) All rights reserved