IP Democracy: YouTube to Provide Full-Length TV Shows Under Deal

The Wall Street Journal has this scoop (subscription required but MarketWatch has a summary) today about a deal that will give Google-owned YouTube rights to distribute its first-ever full-length TV shows. Google has signed an agreement to post more than 4,000 hours of video content provided by Digital Music Group, an online distributor of independently owned music, TV shows and movies.

The content, which includes such classics as “Gumby” and “I Spy,” will be free to users. Digital Music will split with Google the ad revenue from the pages where the content appears. Digital Music will also be paid for its copyrighted music that appears in uploaded videos. Google will use filtering technology to find Digital Music’s content and then compensate the company, although companies have complained that YouTube has been slow in providing this promised technology.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on February 12, 2007 8:58 AM to IP Democracy