DREAMWORKS - VIACOM SUES GOOGLE, YOUTUBE FOR $1 BILLION

Viacom today (Tuesday) filed a $1-billion lawsuit against Google and its YouTube video-sharing subsidiary, alleging "massive intentional copyright infringement." The company also asked the court to issue an injunction to prevent YouTube users from uploading other copyrighted material. Viacom owns Paramount and DreamWorks film studios and such cable channels as MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, and Comedy Central. It was not immediately known whether Viacom had attempted to persuade other media companies to join its legal attack. The company's corporate parent is National Amusements Inc., which also controls CBS, Inc., which is engaged in ongoing negotiations with YouTube and Google. Last month Viacom demanded that YouTube remove more than 100,000 clips of Viacom's copyrighted programming.

13/03/2007