Categories: Entertainment Internet

As of late, I’ve been reading articles about the copyright battle between YouTube and the major networks, as users upload full episodes of popular programs like 24 and Lost. I’ve also heard discussions about whether or not network TV is relevant anymore. What is it about Google’s billion dollar baby that makes it a threat to conventional television? Well for one, you get far more variety than regular TV. Think 200 channels is great? Try having millions, all created by people just like you, not network execs motivated by ratings and not sanitized by censors. Internet video gives users the ability to control content. We’ve all said to ourselves, “How did this crap end up on TV? I could make a better show than this!” Well with Internet video you can. There is also the appeal of instant stardom (probably the same reason so many people are blogging nowadays). Upload a good enough video, and by good, I mean something totally stupid or fanboy fodder, a couple million hits later, and you’re known worldwide. The guy in the mail room that no one talks to may be a superstar on the Internet. And that’s part of the appeal of YouTube, that you could be the next Star Wars Kid. That’s probably why Google paid $1.6 billion for it.

I still think there’s a place for the ol’ set in the living room though. Internet video is amusing yes, but it’s far too amateur and sophomoric to be taken for serious programming, despite the fact that some smart (dare I say it) programming is finding its way on the Internet. And I doubt that this will change any time soon, as it is mainly dominated by self-indulgent, under-achieving teens who need to feed their bruised egos. So I won’t be trading in my TV anytime soon. As for the copyright battle, it can’t be won. If Google decides to clamp down on uploading copyrighted material, no matter how hard it tries, there are far too many “offenders” to target. 65,000 videos are uploaded to YouTube everyday. Not even a company as large as Google can filter that much information. Not like they would want to, because they know that users will jump ship if they try to restrain users’ activity. Remember “new” Napster?