Idiot NBC Execs Remove YouTube Content Then Release Themselves
Completely misunderstanding current culture, NBC, after forcing YouTube to remove several Saturday Night Live clips, has re-released on NBC.com the very same clips it said should not have been freely distributed. Explaining the twisted brilliance of the move, NBC VP of Interactive Stephen Andrade said, "We were concerned about building their corporation instead of ours since it's our video. We would like to make it as easy for people to share as we can, so we're trying to provide as many tools as we can to do that." Gee, if we were NBC.com, we'd be more than happy for YouTube and everyone else to suffer the bandwidth and infrastructure costs to freely publicize our content.
Sadly, it's about control - that archaic term old school companies cling to like a polygamist clings to his three wives. Limiting their content to a static, non-community like site isn't going to gain the publicity or viewership that a YouTube release can achieve. The video section of NBC.com hilariously proclaims, "Now, instead of searching the web for 'borrowed' NBC highlights, you can go to the source! We've taken your viral favorites and gathered them into one convenient location. Watch. React. Tell a friend." You've got to hand it to them for a bit of comic relief surrounding the situation.
Comments
That was my thought too when I first read about it. It reminded me of when blogs first started and corporations had cease and desist orders when sites showed their products. I didn't think there were still companies out there that are that ignorant.
That was my thought too when I first read about it. It reminded me of when blogs first started and corporations had cease and desist orders when sites showed their products. I didn't think there were still companies out there that were that ignorant.
So, is this an anti-viral campaign by NBC?
The comic relief is pure BS.
The source? NBC's web site is not "the source" of NBC television programming, so technically NBC.com has "borrowed" the content from television.
Share? It was easier for people to share when it was on YouTube.
React? There's no "react" mechanism on the site, like, say, a comments section for each video clip. Or even a ratings system, like you find on YouTube.
Stupid peacock.
I can hear Yoda now: "control, control, we must have CONTROL!"
Lame lame lame lame lame lame lame.
Jack Trout doesn't see the big deal here.
While "control" may be a part of the reason NBC wants this on their site, perhaps the bigger issue is the number of eyeballs on THEIR site, not YouTube. NBC has advertising on their site (just like YouTube), so having these videos increases eyeballs, increasing the media value of the page real estate.
As an aside, according to Alexa, YouTube now has EIGHT TIMES the daily traffic that NBC.com does.
Silly NBC.
I must agree... lame lame lame.
Silly NBC.
I must agree... lame lame lame.
silly NBC and silly backwards lawyers.
NBC really had a chance to be at the forefront of web 2.0. for about a month, their brand equity (especially in regards to SNL) improved exponentially. they were actually, genuinely cool.
now they're a joke, and a prime example of how old media is not only out of touch with new media, but self-destructive as well. tragic.
Nicely put dj.
Attention NBC!!!!! I think you should know about some other companies that are making money from you. TV manufactures! You should stop this at once and start making your own TVs!!
Nice how "Tell a Friend" isn't even a link. There's no way on the site on to spread the content. Has anyone explained the term "viral" to them?
OK: So we keep the content on our site only, ask people to copy and email the link themselves, and don't allow it on other sites. That will spread our message!
Also, Let's make sure there is no way to play the videos in full screen.
Genius.