Zucker Calls on YouTube to Improve Copyright Protection

NEW YORK, February 7: On his first day as president and CEO
of NBC Universal, Jeff Zucker criticized YouTube, accusing the Google-owned
file-sharing site of failing to adequately protect copyrighted material.

“YouTube needs to prove that it will implement its filtering
technology across its online platform,” Zucker is quoted as saying. “They have
the capability. The question is whether they have the will.”

NBC Universal is not the only major media company that has
taken issue with YouTube in the last few months. Last week, Viacom demanded
that YouTube pull about 100,000 clips of its content from the site. And last
month, Twentieth Century Fox subpoenaed the site seeking the identity of a user
who uploaded illegal copies of 24 and The
Simpsons.

Unlike Viacom and FOX, NBC does have an official channel on
YouTube featuring clips from, among others, 30 Rock, The Office and Saturday Night Live.

Speaking to reporters on his first day succeeding Bob Wright
at the helm of NBC Universal, Zucker also noted the company’s emphasis on
digital media. “This company is about producing great content in all divisions.
The issue is, how do we get that great content in front of new eyeballs, on new
platforms, with new money attached?”