Is YouTube That Bad?

[PM5K]

Just saw that Dick In A Box was taken down, and I was surprised by that, apparently at NBC Universals request and I think it was a bad move..

It's one thing to download an entire MP3 or an album, people that say they download songs illegally and then buy the albums are probably full of shit most of the time, unless the album comes packaged with something else they want...

But a clip of a show does nothing but make me want to check out SNL more than I have recently, I think it hasn't been as good in the past few years but some of the clips I've seen recently make me think it's either making a come back or at least more worth watching than before, and this clip won't keep people from watching or from buying a DVD compilation...

[ChumpDumper]

NBC has that video as well as the uncensored version on its own site.

Could it be that they want you to use their site and their video technology that they spent millions of dollars to develop?

Nah.

[Gerryatrics]

They did the same thing with Lazy Sunday (Chronicles of Narnia). I don't know what NBC is thinking, these clips actually get people talking about SNL, I mean besides talking about how much it sucks now or how much better the cast used to be. These digital shorts are pretty much the only positive thing about SNL anymore.

Thankfully FOX doesn't do the same thing with MadTV stuff...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM3PGWVeBAw

[PM5K]

Good point Chump, but why limit your audience when you don't have to, YouTube is far more popular than NBC's video site, that I was not aware even existed...

[Gerryatrics]

That's the point, nobody is going to go digging through all the videos on NBC's site to watch one viral video when you can just do a simple search on YouTube to find it right away. And not only that one video, but other similar videos that YouTube has linked to it that you otherwise might not have ever seen.

[ChumpDumper]

Good point Chump, but why limit your audience when you don't have toWhy give up control of your content when you don't have to?

BTW, NBC and Fox are talking about going in on a video distribution system of their own, possibly via myspace. There's a very strong possibility those Mad TV clips will be gone soon as well.

[ChumpDumper]

That's the point, nobody is going to go digging through all the videos on NBC's site to watch a viral video, when you can just do a simple search on YouTube to find pretty much every video clip ever.That's the point. If the video isn't on YouTube, where might someone go who wants to see an SNL clip? I just "dug through" NBC's site. Three clicks. Wow. The pain....

[ChumpDumper]

I'm almost willing to bet that the uncensored video of "Dick in a Box" will be advertised during SNL this week.

"Go to NBC.com to see it!"

There's a whole lot more to this story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/arts/television/21sket.html?ref=nyregion

[PM5K]

I think this sums it up for me, although Chump makes a good argument, I still don't think he's right:


“A sign now of success with a certain audience when you do a short comedy piece, anywhere, is that it gets on YouTube and gets around,” Mr. Samberg said. “It’s always something you’re thinking about unconsciously. It’s not our main objective. But there’s no part of us that doesn’t want to be on YouTube.”

I kind of agree with this as well:


Sizing up the two versions of the “Special Treat” video, Mr. Meyers observed, “The most interesting thing is that it’s actually not funnier uncensored.”

EDIT: The unedited version has better flow, but a lot of things make this funny, and the word "dick" is only one of them...

Having said that, it can still be found on YouTube..

[PM5K]

I was reading about how many views it has gotten, I wonder if that's unique or total, I've watched it almost ten times...

[ChumpDumper]

I think this sums it up for me, although Chump makes a good argument, I still don't think he's right:Centuries of copyright law is what's right.
Having said that, it can still be found on YouTube..
That’s because the network itself had placed it on its own Web site (nbc.com) and YouTube.com

[PM5K]

Centuries of copyright law is what's right.

This argument is not about copyright law, it's about business...

[ObiwanGinobili]

heres dick in a box on youtube right now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F0H04vz_Bc&NR


(ps. this one not posted by nbc)

[ObiwanGinobili]

Omeleville and Homelessville are still up too.

[LuvBones]

NBC took down Gwen Stefani's SNL performance as well.. they just don't want to share.