Less than a week after Universal’s chief executive called YouTube a “copyright infringer” for showing its music videos for free, News Corp.’s Fox Broadcasting unit is looking into whether clips from its popular TV show, “The Simpsons,” are appearing on Googles video site in violation of a content-sharing agreement. There are now dozens of clips from The Simpsons, Family Guy, and other Fox programming available on Google Video — each added to the site over the last two weeks or so, according to a review of the site. The Simpsons clip, along with scores of others that have found their way to Google Video this month, threaten to create problems between Google and its new partner, which owns Fox Broadcasting Co.
While Google viewers are no doubt enjoying the clips, they are all in violation of an existing, nonexclusive pact between Fox and Google. Under terms of that arrangement, Google Video can only distribute a few episodes of “Vanished” and “Prison Break.” What you see on Family Guy and The Simpsons is not part of that agreement,” the spokeswoman said Monday. She added that it’s likely the company will soon ask Google to remove this and other clips pointed out to her by a reporter.
SOURCE: Market Watch