Sex Video Clouds Europe's YouTube Launch

Following the launch on June 29 of the European Commission Channel on YouTube, allongside a number of videos focusing on more mundane aspects of EU policy is a short, 44 second video with the unassuming title "Film Lovers Will Love This" which is creating quite a stir.

The film has been viewed over 280,000 times and criticism hasn't been far behind. Spiegel reports.

The film, part of a series of short outtakes highlighting an EU fund that helps distribute films made in Europe across the continent, shows racy sex scenes from a number of European movies.

European Commission spokesman Martin Selmayr says that the mini-film has generated a huge amount of complaints", but has expressed disdain for the criticism. "The European Union is not a Bible belt, we believe in freedom of expression and artistic creativity," he said. The clips, he made clear, are from award-winning European films.

Read also the NYTimes take on this story in The Lede Blog.

Dropped iPhone becomes YouTube star

A young man accidentally dropped his iPhone on the sidewalk after he walked out of a store in Houston. The incident was caught on camera and posted on YouTube where it became the most most watched comediy clip over the weekend with 500'000 views. [via houstonist]

Downing Street YouTube hits milestone

The Downing Street YouTube channel has celebrated its one millionth viewing since going live just two months ago.

The most watched clip to date is Tony Blair's congratulatory message to Nicolas Sarkozy, France's recently elected President, delivered in (perfect) French. It has been viewed more than 350,000 times.

[via Number 10 Downing Street]

Cops vs. Skaters: Video of Skater Arrest Leads to Investigation

ABCNews reports on a police brutality case captured on camera and posted on YouTube - which took on a life of it's own.

"According to the skateboarders, Police Officer Joey Williams used excessive force in apprehending them for violating a city ordinance against skaters on the street. They have circulated a video of the incident on YouTube that has garnered almost a million views since it was posted June 25 and landed Williams at the center of an internal misconduct investigation and on paid leave from his post.

McCormack, 21, who shot the video and posted it on YouTube, told ABC News that he always carries a digital camera while skating, as he is gathering material for a local skate shop and feels particularly fortunate to have caught this incident.

... Hundred of skaters and concerned Internet users, especially teens, have been posting the video on blogs, MySpace and Facebook pages, calling the incident an example of "police brutality" and encouraging others to flood the Police Department with calls."

Paris Hilton walks free from Jail

Paris Hilton catwalks free from Jail just after midnight. Great outfit. It's all over television news. And of course on YouTube too.

Fun read from the Hollywood Reporter: Blissful is the world where Paris is not news.

Hit-and-run video posted on YouTube gets man fired

According to The Asahi Shimbun, the owner of a car involved in a hit-and-run (considered aminor collision by the police) was fired after footage of the collision was posted on the YouTube.

"The video shows a white sedan driving away after swiping the front right side of a car. The video was shot with a camcorder from inside the car that was hit.

Clearly displayed is the registration number of the white sedan.

After the video was posted, some viewers began posting private information of the car owner. The man's name, age, address as well as the company he worked at, were posted on Internet bulletin boards and blog sites.

The man's employer, a car repair and conversion company in Saitama Prefecture, announced on its Web site on June 15 that it had fired him after the company was flooded with phone calls."

Other vidoe post stories that aimed to shame.

-- Angry man over loud cellphone call becomes hit movie on youtube (Japan)

-- "dog-sh..-girl" a test of the Internet's Power to Shame (South Korea)

-- Camera phone photo of New York subway employee prompts investigation (USA)

The European Commission opens a channel on YouTube

The European Commission has jumped on the video-sharing bandwagon by opening a page on the YouTube website to spread its audiovisual messages.

"The EU homepage – www.youtube.com/EUtube - will officially be launched on Friday (29 June) under plans by EU communication commissioner Margot Wallstrom.

"We have audiovisual material on our own website," commission spokesman Mikolaj Dowgielewicz told EUobserver. "But people don't know it exists," he added, explaining that that is one of the main reasons for setting up the YouTube channel.

Thailand to lift ban on YouTube

The Information and Communication Technology Ministry said that Thai-based internet users will again be allowed to access hundreds of websites including YouTube, the popular video-sharing website, after it had been blocked for several months.

The ministry in early April began blocking the popular video-sharing website after it showed a sequence of video clips considered insulting to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. [via The Bangkok Post]

Related articles:

-- Thailand drops plan to sue Google

-- Thai king to sue YouTube

Recruiters: You, too, can YouTube

We're all familiar with Job seekers creating video clips as a part of their application (and the infamous video-gone-wrong story of the Yale University student ), but now, according to the Philidelphia Inquirer videos have become the leading edge trend ifor recruiters too, as a tool to attract workers. Click here to see a variety of recruitment videos.

"YouTube-style videos are being used for employers and job seekers to market to each other," said Mark Oldman, cofounder of Vault.com, a media company that publishes career guides, and posts video resumes and company recruitment videos. "The whole phenomenon is crystallizing right now."

Besides Gestalt, Cisco Systems Inc., the CIA, the Los Angeles Police Department, and even Haverford Township's volunteer fire company have turned to YouTube to attract talent.

Why the trend?

More home computers can now handle streaming video; before, it was clunky.

Recruiters want to reach workers where they are, and younger job candidates like YouTube.

The amateurish videos on YouTube carry an aura of authenticity appealing to a generation jaded by slick media.

And finally, the medium itself is the message - funny, real, hip and technically savvy - all the characteristics of a wonderful place to work.

The style and the tone is as important as the message, and, in many cases, more important," Oldman said."

YouTube Could Launch In Korea

According to Koh Byung-Joon of the Yonhap News Agency “Google . . . is considering launching YouTubee in South Korea during the second half of this year to capitalize on the fast-growing user created content (UCC) market here". [via WebPro News]

YouTube Videos Reveal Anti-American Outsourcing

A law firm that thought it was demonstrating its cleverness in posting videos of its conference on business immigration instead showed how they cynically stack the deck against American job seekers for their clients. Webpronews reports.

Videos from a Cohen & Grigsby event held in Pittsburgh on May 15th made it onto YouTube. The series of videos as described by Dr Matloff proved to be more than just a promotional effort for the law firm:

This set of videos gave a dramatic inside look at some of the loopholes, especially in the case of the employer-sponsored green cards. Here you have lawyers openly stating that their goals are to (a) help employers avoid hiring Americans, and (b) help employers hire foreign nationals on the cheap--and to do all this FULLY LEGALLY.

The videos have since been removed from YouTube, but not before being viewed by a lot of people., including CNN's Lou Dobbs".

YouTube software update for Apple TV

Gizmodo reports that Apple has announced that the YouTube software update was ready for download for Apple TV owners.

And "one more thing": YouTube would be available on the iPhone at launch.

More in press release.

Will YouTube kill off local video sites?

YouTube's decision to customize its service for nine countries, including France and Spain, was a major blow to local competitors, but analysts said that it would not spell the end for foreign language video sites. The Times reports.

"Several sites, particularly in Western Europe, where broadband penetration is high, had capitalised on the fact that YouTube's interface was not ideal for French and Spanish video, and attracted users who liked being able to search for and post videos in their language.

... YouTube has tremendous appeal because of its international content, which adds a layer that local players can't compete with," Rebecca Jennings, a senior analyst with Forrester, said. "There's different appetite for different types of content globally, though. In South America, for instance, soap operas are enormously popular; in Asia it's game shows. Generally, local players are able to understand those demands better."

But the figures do not make pleasant reading for YouTube's competition.

According to ComScore, the research firm, YouTube is now the number one video-sharing in France, with 7.7 million unique users, surpassing DailyMotion's 6.6 million."

YouTube rolls out in 9 countries

In the first step in its international rollout, YouTube has launched localized versions of its video sharing site in nine countries — Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the UK and Japan.

Their URLs are easy to remember, simply put the country's code before youtube.com. ie.e.: br.youtube.com, ie.youtube.com, it.youtube.com, uk.youtube.com, es.youtube.com....

YouTube Japan features a welcome video by Tokyo-based art collective Rinpa Eshidan, whose killer “motion painting” videos have a history of rocking YouTube.

And on YouTube France celeb French rap singer Kamini extends his welcome. This welcome video is also promoted on most other country specific YouTubes that I checked out (on Japan's too), so it must be it appears by recognizing your IP adress. In my case YouTube France would be the closest to Switzerland.

My guess is that each country has a celebrity welcome video message.

[via Pink Tentacle]

YouTube Mobile Goes Live

Youtube's Mobile site at m.youtube.com has gone live. Gizmodo reports.

"YouTube Mobile is a new, xHTML site optimized for your cellphone. The service will require your phone to be capable of video streaming already (RTSP/3GP with H263/AMR), but that shouldn't be a problem for most our techbling Gizmodo readers. Plus, using MMS, you can upload YouTube videos directly from your phone."

More details on pronet advertising via Techmeme

SE Asia hill tribes fight back with new weapon - YouTube

Vast areas of mountainous jungle in Vietnam and Laos are strictly out of bounds to journalists and human rights monitors, but the hill tribes who have taken refuge there have found another way to tell the world about their plight, tthanks to YouTube. Alert Net reports.

"Graphic footage filmed last year in the Lao jungle and posted on the popular video sharing website YouTube shows a young Hmong boy, his belly sliced open and his intestines hanging out.

Other footage in the same YouTube video, taken on May 19, 2004, captures the aftermath of the killing of a group of five Hmong children, including showing their mutilated bodies.

... Another video on YouTube, posted this time by the U.S.-based campaign group The Montagnard Foundation , features members of Vietnamese hill tribes, known collectively as Montagnards, telling of beatings, torture and imprisonment.

Scott Johnson, advisor to The Montagnard Foundation, said the U.S.-based organisation is using modern technology to monitor human rights violations in Vietnam's Central Highlands and to spread news of Montagnards who have been jailed, killed, or injured.

"YouTube is indeed proving to be a useful new weapon. Cell phones and the internet are also very important. But any Montagnards caught with cell phones or video recorders are likely to be detained, put under surveillance, tortured or worse," he said.

The descendants of America's so-called "forgotten allies" are still paying with their lives, but thanks to YouTube their stories are not dying in the jungle with them."

CNN/YouTube Debates

YouTube blog announces the CNN/YouTube Debates that will bring that dialogue to national television.

For the two presidential primary debates on CNN,, vewers can ask the candidates questions through YouTube.

First up is the Democratic debate, which will be on July 23. Start submitting your questions today at www.youtube.com/debates.

And stay tuned - you'll get to face the Republican candidates this fall during the second CNN/YouTube debate, on September 17 in Florida.

Journalist apologises over YouTube video of Sarkozy

Following up on yesterday's story, the Belgian TV newscaster who suggested French President Nicolas Sarkozy had "apparently had more than just water to drink" at the G8 summit, apologized formerly to the French embassy in Brussels and asked that they be conveyed to Sarkozy's office.

"I apologize for the proportions that this is taking," said Boever, adding that his remark was made in jest. "I obviously did not want to offend French national sensitivities, especially since I am also French through my mother."

A spokesperson for the president declined to comment on the video, saying "it is not common practice at the Elysée to comment on bad taste jokes."

The Belgian newscast took on a life of it's own and spread like wildfire on video sharing sites. It was viewed over a million times, according to an article in IOL.

French television on European version of YouTube

France Télévisions has started negociating with Google to broadcast some of their content on a European version of YouTube.

France will act as a test market for this European version. The agreement would be non exclusive. France Télévisions is also considering extending their broadcasts to other video sharing sites such as Dailymotion.

[via Pointblog]

Golden Era TV meets the Digital Age

Old time television is making a comeback. Not on television, though. On the Internet. The Los Angeles Times reports.

For members of Generation X-Box, it's a chance to see what prehistoric television looked like. Fifty-year-old Heinz Ketchup TV and Cocoa Puff commercials conjure a distant era, as well as the forgotten 1950s sci-fi serials like "Captain Midnight" and "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger."

Indeed, as television collectors large and small continue to digitize and upload thousands of rare old film reels and videotapes, YouTube is threatening to become a repository of television history that could rival the nation's leading broadcast museums, both in the scope of its offerings and in the number of people it can reach.

Ron Simon, curator of the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio), said that collectors have traditionally been very possessive, preferring to keep their archives out of the public view. But with the arrival of video sharing sites, that mentality is changing. "YouTube has encouraged the whole collector community to put examples of their material out there," he said.

[via The TV Barn Ticker]

YouTube Fuels -- and Foils -- Campaigns

For months, the presidential wannabes have been churning out serious, talking-to-the-camera videos for YouTube. So far, viewers prefer the spontaneous, unauthorized, less flattering fare, reports The Wall Street Journal

"... While overall viewership of political videos is relatively small, the clips are becoming increasingly important in the elongated 2008 presidential campaign cycle. Lesser-known candidates are using YouTube as a low-cost method to get some attention, while the leading candidates are trying to avoid any embarrassing on-the-trail goofs that can be exploited by opponents or their supporters.

This early in the election cycle, it's hard to say that Internet volume at candidate Web sites is an indicator of ultimate success at the polls. If anything, the data show that the increasing attention being placed on the Internet by candidates is a double-edged sword, since they are getting the most attention online for video clips beyond their control.

First Full Length Film on YouTube

Four Eyed Monsters, a movie developed out of a video blog, has debuted on YouTube in what is believed to be the first full length feature film (71 minutes) created by Arin Crumley and Susan Buice on the Google owned mega-site.

"According to Marshall Kirkpatrick at Splashcast, the film is a “model of new media in action” and will be available on YouTube for one week, reports TechCrunch .

The film cost Arin and Susan to be in credit card debt. Viewers can help them get out of debt by contributing one dollar, simply by clicking on the spout.com banner ad above their video on the YouTube page and joining Spout.

More on Four Eyed Monsters from YouTube blog.

"Paris Hilton Goes Back to Jail!" videoclip a huge hit on YouTube

Poor Paris. Back in jail.

A subject of gleeful merriment on video sharing website YouTube, with one musical clip having already attracted over one million viewers.

Played on a catchy and familiar tune with clever lyrics, PARIS HILTON GOES BACK TO JAIL! was produced and written by Allan Murray and Sean Haines. This is the their first clip: We made this video on a shoe string budget with the help of some great peeps. Great indeed.

Using YouTube to find his biological parents

Another reason to use YouTube, make an appeal to find your biological parents.

At least that what's Ken Tanaka is doing. He's a white man in his thirties who was adopted by Japanese parents when he was a kid.

This could be a joke. But the idea has been planted. We will surely see more of these. [Tokyomango via Japan Probe]

Kremlin TV Airs on YouTube

As of yesterday, web users were also able to while away their time watching Russia Today programs onYouTube. The Moscow Times reports.

"A noncommercial deal has seen state-funded broadcaster Russia Today follow moves by a string of international media giants, including BBC, NBC, Reuters and Al-Jazeera, to hook up with the world's leading video-sharing web site in a bid to boost its global reach.

"Our new channel on YouTube will give us the chance to reach out to millions of Internet users who find it more convenient to go online to find news comment," Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Russia Today, said in a statement.

Under the agreement, programs from the English-language, 24-hour satellite television station will be available via a branded channel on YouTube and updated daily. "

TV station forced off air by Chávez goes to YouTube

Forced off the air by President Hugo Chávez, an opposition-aligned Venezuelan TV channel has begun taking its news shows to the Web through the popular video-sharing site YouTube, reports the AP.

"In one segment Thursday, announcer Isnardo Bravo pledged that "RCTV will continue to keep people informed in defense of free speech."

Chávez refused to renew the channel's license, accusing it of inciting a failed coup in 2002 and violating various broadcast laws. The decision has been condemned by several foreign governments, press-freedom groups and international organizations.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Venezuela on Friday to return the station to the air and "cease these attacks on the free press."

EMI strikes a deal with YouTube

EMIhas signed a deal with YouTube that will allow its users to access videos by EMI artists, reports the BBC.

"It means all four of the world's major music firms are now YouTube. The terms of the agreement should eventually allow users to incorporate recordings by EMI artists into their own projects.

EMI and YouTube have agreed to work together to develop ways in which EMI-owned recordings can be incorporated into user generated content by YouTube users.

Apple TV set to download YouTube

Thousands of hours of user-generated video madness will soon be available through Apple TV, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced Wednesday, reports News.com.

"Starting next month, Apple TV users will be able to select YouTube as an option from the device's main menu and view thousands of the most viewed and most popular videos on the site.

... Apple TV is designed to connect a wide-screen television with content purchased or downloaded over the Internet by a Mac or PC. Until now, however, Apple TV users looking for content were mostly dependent on television programs or movies they had purchased through the iTunes Store. There's no browser inside the interface that would let users access other Internet videos, though they could move their home videos to Apple TV."

Related: - The trouble with Apple TV - (Fortune)

YouTube site 'blocked' in Morocco

Internet users in Morocco who have been unable to access YouTube have voiced concern that it is being deliberately blocked by the authorities. The BBC reports.

"Many Moroccans have been unable to see the video-sharing site since 25 May. A spokesman for the Moroccan government said he could not comment on telecommunications issues, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Some people have linked the problem to videos critical of Morocco's actions in Western Sahara, a disputed territory which Morocco took control of in 1975."

Underemployed TV writer posts resumé on YouTube

28-year-old David McMillan is an underemployed Hollywood writer, looking for a job as staff writer on a show. Tired of relying on the normal channels, this year he decided to take action and made a video pitch describing "the top ten reasons why you should hire me to write for your show" and then posted it on YouTube last week. The LA Times reports. [via Reel Pop]

"... He forwarded the YouTube link to about 100 industry contacts. McMillan hasn't received any job offers since he posted the video last Wednesday, though he says he's received "great feedback" from those offering to forward their words of recommendation."

Watch the Video

Last December, the WSJ published an article on résumes posted on YouTube: "So far, the video résumés featured on YouTube have been posted mostly by people in entertainment or media, but it's spreading by job seekers in other fields-- especially among younger workers.

The article also mentions Aleksey Vayne video, the Yale University student who applied for an investment-banking job. Entitled "Impossible Is Nothing" and featured him lifting weights, showing off his tennis serve and ballroom dancing -- was widely watched on YouTube and made Mr. Vayner an object of ridicule" - as well as a current event entry in Wikipedia .

The YouTube Police

In a cramped office in New York's Times Square, dozens of twentysomethings work day and night scouring YouTube for Viacom TV shows and movies that have been uploaded by just about anybody. For each clip deemed stolen, Viacom's team sends out a "takedown" notice requiring YouTube to remove it immediately. Business Week reports via TV Barn Ticker.

"Back in San Bruno, Calif., a crew of young YouTubers finds the specified clips and pulls them.

... If the whole process seems strangely analog, that's because YouTube is not yet using filtering technology that would automate the process. "It's frustrating," says Rick Cotton, general counsel for NBC Universal, which is sending 1,000 takedown notices a month to YouTube. "And...completely inadequate."

The Web searches are time-consuming and inefficient. Since November, Viacom says, it has reviewed 2 million clips and sent 200,000 takedown notices to the site, a 10% hit rate. NBCU says it is spending well over $1 million a month for its global anti-piracy efforts, which require the services of 25 legal, policy, and tech experts at NBCU.

For its part, YouTube has set up a unit called the SQUAD (Safety Quality User Advocacy Department) Team. It responds, 24/7, to requests to take clips down. "

Defense Department blocks YouTube

The Defense Department will begin blocking access "worldwide" to YouTube, MySpace and 11 other popular Web sites on its computers and networks, according to a memo sent Friday by Gen. B.B. Bell the U.S. Forces Korea commander. The Associated Press reports.

The policy is being implemented to protect information and reduce drag on the department's networks, according to Bell.

"This recreational traffic impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth ability, while posing a significant operational security challenge," the memo said.

... Members of the military can still access the sites on their own computers and networks, but Defense Department computers and networks are the only ones available to many soldiers and sailors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iraqi insurgents or their supporters have been posting videos on YouTube at least since last fall. The Army recently began posting videos on YouTube showing soldiers defeating insurgents and befriending Iraqis.

But the new rules mean many military personnel won't be able to watch those achievements — at least not on military computers."

Uri Geller fights back over Youtube slur

Uri Geller is refusing to give up his legal battle to ban a video clip posted on YouTube which claims to expose the alleged 'secrets' of his spoon bending antics. The Inquirer reports.

"The dispute revolves around a 13-minute video posted on Youtube in which magician James Randi a skeptic famous for debunking paranormal claims, 'exposes' Geller as a fraud and demonstrates a range of sleight-of-hand tricks he could have used.

The clip was put together by the Rational Response Squad (RSS), a group of online atheists who believe they have a mission "to help the world overcome irrationality" (sic) and who tend to use Youtube to do it.

YouTube tries Video Advertising

NewTeeVee reports that YouTube is testing a new advertising format with text ads appearing inside the player. Once clicked, the ad expands to the full screen. [via Advertising Lab]

Commenting on the news advertising scheme, Duncan Riley on TechCrunch recognizes Google's quest to monetize YouTube, but is unconvinced and I agree. "The ads shown so far are not contextual, they are unrelated to the subject of the video. Who would willingly click on an optional advertisement that interupts your viewing? " View screenshots on NewTeeVee.

Thailand drops plan to sue Google

The Thai government abruptly scrapped plans to sue Google after the U.S. company agreed to remove from a Web site video clips deemed insulting to the country's revered king, an official said Friday. [via the Associated Press]

"The government blocked access to YouTube on April 4, after Google Inc. turned down Thailand's request to remove the clips seen as offensive to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

... One clip depicts shoes with the soles pointed toward the king's image — a major taboo in a culture where feet are considered extremely dirty and offensive. The video's soundtrack is the Thai national anthem."

Hamas TV Uses Mickey Mouse to Push Islamic Supremacy

Hamas television is using the image of Mickey Mouse to teach Palestinian children to hate America and Israel and to promote the idea that Islam should rule the world, an Israeli research institute said. Cybercast News Service reports.

"The human-sized, costumed Mickey Mouse look-alike, complete with squeaky voice, is called Farfur. He and his co-host, a young girl named Saraa, appear weekly on the official Hamas television station, Al-Aksa TV, as part of a children's program called "Tomorrow's Pioneers."

Farfur and Saraa teach children about the importance of daily prayers and drinking milk, the Palestinian Media Watch said.

They also take every opportunity to indoctrinate the young viewers with teachings of Islamic supremacy, hatred of Israel and the U.S., and support of "resistance" (terrorism), PMW said.

The show has been posted on YouTube with subtitles.

Thai king to sue YouTube

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Thailand's army-backed government plans to sue YouTube.com over charges of lese majeste - over clips it deemed insulting to King Bhumibol Adulyadej. a serious crime here that carries up to 15 years in prison, the spokesman said.

"We are considering taking legal action against the website," said Vissanu Meeyo, a spokesman for the information ministry.

The government, which came to power after a September coup, has continued to block YouTube since the first clip showing the king next to a photograph of feet, considered deeply offensive here, appeared in April.

The YouTube ban came a week after a Thai court jailed a Swiss man for 10 years for insulting the monarch by vandalising his portraits."

Vous Tube

A clever article from Londonist on Tony Blair's new YouTube channel, dubbed DowningSt, reported about earlier today.

"Blair used his new channel to congratulate the new French President. And to show off a bit, he also recorded a French version," something that I missed.

YouTube's Steve Chen: Copy Protection Technology Taking Time

Business Week interviews YouTube.com co-founder Steve Chen on the company’s copy protection technology - now entering the testing phase , what has made YouTube so successful and what kinds of new products and services is YouTube working on and rolling out in the near term?

"... For 2007 there are a few areas we want to explore. We are looking at other content partnerships and continue to explore beyond the desktop. We’ll continue to work on the community features, and connect people, bringing these communities closer together."

Author Videos to launch on YouTube

According to the WSJ, CBS Corp.'s Simon & Schuster book-publishing arm next month will launch an Internet book channel called Bookvideos.tv that will be hosted on YouTube.com and other video-sharing sites.

"The plan represents a new and inexpensive digital way to promote books and try to turn their authors into brands.

The publisher is committed to a series of 40 videos that will be personality-driven rather than focusing solely on specific new titles. The videos will last two minutes and feature such best-selling authors as Mary Higgins Clark, Zane, and Sandra Brown.

... The videos will address such issues as how authors get their ideas, personal anecdotes about how they became authors, and a sense of who they are as people.

"It's about them and their body of work," said Sue Fleming, vice president, online and consumer marketing for the Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group."

YouTube facing football lawsuit

According to the BBC, the English Premier League is to sue video-sharing site YouTube for alleged copyright infringement.

"The football organisation said YouTube had "knowingly misappropriated" its intellectual property by encouraging footage to be viewed on its site.

The English Premier League and US music publisher Bourne launched the legal action in New York, claiming unspecified damages.

They said YouTube had consciously encouraged people to view content on its site in order to raise its profile, violating the material's commercial value. "

YouTube Starts Paying Star Users

YouTube is going to start helping some of its indie video content creators make money, starting tomorrow, reports Om Malik on NewTeeVee.

In their own words: "Up until now there’s been a distinction between the content you create and the content created by YouTube's professional content partners. We want to start changing some of the perception here. Which is why we’re adding several of the most popular and prolific original content creators from the YouTube community to our partnership program.

Now some of your favorite YouTube members, including LonelyGirl15, LisaNova, HappySlip, renetto, smosh, and valsartdiary will begin to participate in the same revenue sharing and promotional opportunities that are available to YouTube's other partners. These include thousands of mid-sized to large content creators who range from video game companies to universities to production houses.

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