All Things Digital

Skip to main content.

MediaMemo

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Secret of Chad Hurley and Steve Chen’s Famous “Two Kings” Video. Revealed!

chad hurley and steve chenThree years after the Google deal, YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley explains some of the cryptic language in the clip that defined the Web 2.0 era. Also, he’d like you to know his site is generating more than a billion views a day.

Read More »

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Viacom and Google Fight in Court, but Work Together to Keep Kanye West Off of YouTube

video music award taylor swiftYes, Viacom is still suing Google for a billion dollars, because it says too many of its videos showed up on YouTube. But that doesn’t mean Viacom and Google can’t work together to prevent the cable giant’s videos from showing up on YouTube.
Want to see this in action? Go to YouTube and try to find a clip of the Kanye West/Taylor Swift/Beyoncé incident from Sunday night’s Video Music Awards.

Read More »

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Internet Loves MTV, Taylor Swift and Kanye West, but YouTube Keeps Its Distance

video music award taylor swiftIt’s a not-quite-annual tradition: Something unexpected (but perhaps not unplanned) happens at MTV’s Video Music Awards and the Internet can’t stop talking about it. But Viacom’s copyright lawsuit means that you’ll have work a bit if you want to see for yourself on YouTube.

Read More »

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Now Showing on YouTube: Usain Bolt’s Amazing 200 Meter Run

usain-boltReally doesn’t matter if you have the slightest interest in track and field. If you have a pulse, you will be amazed when you see Jamaican marvel Usain Bolt smashing yet another sprinting record, which he did just minutes ago at a German track meet. It will take NBC’s Universal Sports quite some time to get you the clip, but you can watch it right now on the world’s biggest video site.

Read More »

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Four and a Half Minutes on iFart? There’s a “Daily Show” Clip for That.

ifartEveryone knows that one of the iPhone’s best selling points is the amazing array of apps developers make for the handset. But if you still need convincing, check out this “Daily Show” clip, which highlights some of the phone’s most popular programs.

Read More »

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Google Says YouTube Can Start Making Real Money, Very Soon. Really!

tradingplacesYouTube, the world’s biggest video site, is a money loser for Google. But it may not stay that way for long, the company hinted today.

In response to a question during Google’s, quarterly earnings call today, chief financial officer Patrick Pichette contended that the company could begin making a substantial profit, someday soonish. If Google really does pull this off, it will be a remarkable turnaround project.

Read More »

Viacom Says It Has Cracked the Web Ad Riddle, Using Lots of Web Ads

mtvn-bWeb video publishers are desperately trying to figure out how to make money selling ads against their clips, but Viacom’s MTV Networks says it has figured it out: Use lots of ads in each clip!

Read More »

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Warner Music Videos Back on YouTube, if You Know Where to Look

green-day-videoA licensing dispute means Warner Music Group can’t promote a new album by one of its biggest acts on the world’s biggest video site. But you can still find Green Day videos on the site, if you know where to look. What gives?

Read More »

Friday, December 19, 2008

YouTube’s Music Videos: Popular, Money-Losing. For Now.

Music videos on YouTube are money-makers for the music labels, and a money pit for Google. That may change next year: Even Google can’t afford to lose money every time someone watches an Avril Lavigne clip.

Read More »

Latest MediaMemo Videos

More Videos »

About Peter

Peter Kafka has been covering media and technology since 1997, when he joined the staff of Forbes magazine. Most recently, he has been the managing editor of the tech and media Web site, Silicon Alley Insider.

Read more »

Ethics Statement

Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.

Read more »