YouTube's chopping block

Viacom, which is absolutely massive, has basically forced YouTube to remove 100,000 unauthorized clips of its shows.

The thing that I find interesting is captured by YouTube's response: it is "unfortunate" that Viacom would no longer be able to "benefit from YouTube's passionate audience which had helped promote many of Viacom's shows".

Seriously. These Viacom executives are out of touch. People don't watch YouTube to avoid watching TV shows, or even to avoid purchasing DVDs. A few years ago, did you ever see so many TV shows on DVD at the store? People are watching more TV, more media, than ever before.

I liken it to the Barnes and Noble phenomenon. It was scary at first because it seemed if you gave people big, comfy chairs and unlimited time to read books, they would take advantage and read them without buying them. Sure, this happens, but book sales are way up nationally! My Dad, for example, goes to Barnes and Noble, gets a new book and a coffee. He sits down and reads the whole thing, cover to cover. If he likes it, which he often does, he buys one or more copies both for himself and for others. He has become a Barnes and Noble member because he buys so many books there.

I don't know if this phenomenon is purely economic, but it seems social and relational to me. People respond to the fact that they are trusted, they are given a gift. They become even bigger fans. They adopt a strange brand loyalty that makes marketing execs feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Especially in an age of interactive media, citizen journalism, blogging, cool cell phones... especially in this era, give somebody some free content on YouTube and you will find that person talking up the video to 10 friends.

The challenge now is not to retain control. The challenge is to create the absolute best content out there. Consumers are in control now, and if you are bad, they will have no time for you.

If you are good though, do not protect your creation - watch it spread. Democracy and media have collided.