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Sony Pictures in Talks With YouTube

CNet is reporting that Sony Pictures may be in talks with YouTube to license full length movies to the video sharing site. Set to post nearly a half a billion dollars in losses this year, YouTube could certainly use some juice to combat sites like NBC-owned Hulu which already has an array of movies for streaming. "Details about what a final agreement could look like are sparse, but any partnership between the two powerhouses would likely benefit both. Representatives from both companies declined to comment. Word of the negotiations comes a week after Disney announced it had licensed short-form content to YouTube. Those clips will come from a range of Disney brands, including ABC and ESPN. For YouTube, obtaining short-form clips from Disney is an important step but still doesn't provide what YouTube needs most."

13 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. Re:See no evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    They said it themselves with their repeated attempts to screw their customers

  2. Re:YouTube nearly bankrupt? by Karganeth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Maybe it's because nobody purchases anything from YouTube.

  3. Re:YouTube nearly bankrupt? by Albanach · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Youtube is the most-popular video site. It should be making hand-over-fist in dollars. How can this be?

    It's because youtube typically has no adverts on user submitted videos. If google made money off of copyright material they'd be looking at big lawsuits. So they typically only have advertising on licensed content. They need more deals like the one suggested to deliver more advertising revenue.

  4. I just had a look at Hulu by Mystery00 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I just had a look at Hulu and got this:

    We're sorry, currently our video library can only be streamed within the United States.

    Google combating who? The only competition is torrent.

    --
    "we've got trenchcoats and bad attitudes" - John Constantine, HellBlazer
    1. Re:I just had a look at Hulu by Red+Flayer · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Google combating who? The only competition is torrent.

      Google combating the licensors of the content, who wish their distribution channels in non-US markets to remain free of easy, legal online competition. Pandora has the same issue with streaming audio.

      Hulu competes with bt for content delivery, but is also competes with DVDs, VHS, movie theaters, etc. That last one is pretty important -- many movies are just hitting theaters overseas when DVDs or online distribution is released to the US market.

      --
      "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  5. Re:YouTube nearly bankrupt? by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Youtube is the most-popular video site. It should be making hand-over-fist in dollars. How can this be?

    Being most-popular is not an advantage when no one has figured out how to profit from it. Most-popular means highest costs in bandwidth, servers, etc.

    Ad spend is shrinking globally. How exactly is YouTube going to make money when everyone and their dog uses their servers and bandwidth for free?

    Reminds me of the dotcom boom... sure, we're losing money on every transaction, but we'll make up for it in volume.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  6. YouTube isn't a Company by MrNonchalant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Let's be clear. YouTube isn't set to post anything, let alone a loss. Google as a whole will post huge profits again, albeit below last year, and that will be that.

  7. Re:See no evil by MicktheMech · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It would be more like hating the government in general. I believe they call themselves libertarians.

  8. Re:YouTube nearly bankrupt? by CyberSlammer · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Wow, let's see...considering just about every music artist has had their music video removed over the past year might have something to do with it. Not to mention TV show clips have disappeared, it's pretty much turned into who is the next numa numa or Star Wars kid.....lame.

  9. What it REALLY needs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    For YouTube, obtaining short-form clips from Disney is an important step but still doesn't provide what YouTube needs most.

    Porn.

  10. Re:YouTube nearly bankrupt? by Feminist-Mom · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Yes, but what is the cost of running it that can cause it to lose a half a billion dollars in one year?

  11. Re:People don't have any standards anymore ... by feepness · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I am referencing betamax, sdds, super audio cd, minidisc, umd, memory stick pro, and other sony abortions).

    Yes, that'll definitely get you some mod points around these parts.

    (Hint: I am referencing the fact that you are making hyperbolic statements to get attention.)

  12. Re:See no evil by ScotlynHatt · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Actually, it would be similar to hating Sony because they have repeatedly controlled media formats to death, installed malicious software secretly, and ignored the modern standards for many of their products. I mean c'mon, Bush, Obama, and Libertarian references!? Really?