Viacom Nudges Some Premium Content Online, For Free

amplt1337 writes "Debates about the profitability of 'free' continue to rage, but at least one major media conglomerate — Viacom — is pushing forward with releasing paid-for content for free on the Internet. Of course, the prospect of free and easy full-length Daily Show episodes has caused some tension with cable providers, who pay a hefty premium for a heretofore-exclusive right to distribute the conglom's content (there are obvious parallels with the conflict between labels and musicians). What strikes me as really interesting is that even an old, entrenched company like Viacom has enough vision to see the opportunity for increased profits through free distribution — provided they can control that distribution (see their YouTube lawsuit) and have discretion over just how free they go. Of course, the NYT itself has had its own experience with expanding access to previously fee-based content ..."

Comments

Re:Its own reward

[ShieldW0lf]

Furthermore, copyright does not in any way "screw things up for the vast majority of us". Poorly done copyright screws things up, not copyright itself.

Ok. Well, according to the article on the front page of Slashdot this very day, in very short order, it will apparently be possible using consumer level tools to burn 1TB to an optical disc.

This should mean that it's practical to assemble a collection of every written work ever created in the recorded history of man, build a factory that churns them out at negligible cost, and distribute a copy to every child on the face of the earth.

Now, will you argue that copyright is consistent with such a lofty goal? Will you argue that this goal does not benefit the vast majority of us? Or, will you concede the fucking point already and, if you can't make a suggestion for an alternative scheme, at least acknowledge that there is a need for one?