Google to Acquire YouTube for $1.65 Billion

Google to Acquire YouTube for $1.65 Billion

Google, a company which has made billions off the online search market, has not been able to become a major player in the online video market. However, that is all going to change due to Google’s recent purchase of the video-sharing website YouTube, which Google bought for $1.65 billion. This deal came just weeks after YouTube unveiled agreements with three media companies in an effort to escape possible copyright infringements. This is Google’s biggest purchase in its eight year history.

YouTube is still yet to show a profit, but Google and other analysts believe that the video-sharing market will continue to become more lucrative as more and more consumers veer away from the television and onto the internet. Other cynics view YouTube as nothing more than a fad that is doomed due to its high volume of copyrighted material that will result in the eventual oblivion of the site (much like the once popular music sharing site, Napster).

Microsoft Corp., News Corp., and Yahoo Inc. were among the other companies that discussed the possible purchase of YouTube over the past several weeks. However, Google was the one applauded by most investors as they saw Google’s stock price rise on the Nasdaq to $429 (an $8.50 increase).

YouTube has seen its worldwide audience climb to over 72 million users, as opposed to about 3 million one year ago. It also has entered into partnerships with Universal Music Group, CBS Corp., and Sony BMG Music Entertainment. These partnerships came shortly after the agreement signed a month earlier with Warner Music Group Inc. These recent partnerships and the acquisition of YouTube are expected to help Google become the largest player in the online video industry.
















picture above found here

Anti-U.S. Attack Videos Spread on Web

Anti-U.S. Attack Videos Spread on Web

Videos of Iraqi attacks against U.S. soldiers in Iraq are starting to make their way onto popular video-sharing sites such as YouTube and Google video. These videos are, for the most part, of sniper attacks and small bombings with improvised explosive devices. These videos are being posted by mostly U.S. citizens who have found them through other channels. Some videos do not show American soldiers being seriously injured, however others show soldiers on the ground bleeding and being loaded onto emergency helicopters.

Pictures of dead soldiers are closely monitored by the Bush administration and often are not disclosed to the American public. These shared videos however are giving average citizens a level of access to combat scenes never seen before. However, many of these videos have been removed from YouTube. Youtube has done this in reaction to complaints from other users. The New York Times has record of over 48 videos that were removed thus far. Both YouTube and Google video have user guidelines that prohibit the posting of videos with graphic violence. There is a policy to remove any videos that are intended to deceive or shock and disgust viewers with regards to warfare (U.S or any other).

Still, many of the videos remain, often labeled in Arabic making it difficult for American users to locate them. Also, new videos are continuously added with much of the same material as the ones before them which were deleted. Russell K. Terry, a Vietnam veteran with mixed feelings toward the videos noted, “It’s unfortunate there’s no way to stop it…this is what these guys are over there fighting for: freedom of speech.” Other users had similar things to say. They were disgusted by the videos, however they did not feel that the videos should be censored, and that their respective news stations are unwilling to tell the truths of the war.














Picture of Iraq found here