OLD MEDIA Vs. NEW MEDIA: The Battle Begins

[url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/02182007/business/worlds___war_business_peter_lauria_and_holly_m__sanders.htm]WORLDS @ WAR[/url]

[quote]A war between old and new media has begun.

After peaceably co-existing for years, the analog and digital media worlds have swapped the first salvos over content in what could be a very messy – and costly – battle.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs squeezed off a shot over the bow of the music industry by posting a 1,800-word missive seeking to abolish copyright protection on digital music files.

Why should he care about guarding intellectual property? While Apple rings up millions of dollars in profits by selling music on its iTunes site, the music industry stands to lose between $90 billion and $160 billion in revenue during its transition to digital distribution, according to a recent report from IBM.

It’s jabs like Jobs’ that have got old media feeling bullied, and now they are fighting back.

Viacom earlier this month ordered YouTube to remove 100,000 pirated clips of shows such as “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report” from its site. According to sources, Viacom felt that YouTube was dickering around regarding deal points, specifically how policing of illegally posted material would be handled, during negotiations.

Of the decision to stand up to YouTube, no less than Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone said, “If you want to use us, pay us.”[/quote]

With citizen journalists and new media warriors like ourselves leading the charge, it’s sure to be a bloody fight!