Viacom vs. Google/You Tube

When online video-sharing sensation YouTube was a couple of scruffy founders and video clips of cats and karaoke, nobody cared in the canyons of old media big power.

But when new media mega-giant Google bought YouTube last year for 1.6 billion dollars, and put its big Google engines behind the start-up, Hollywood and Burbank and New York sat straight up in a hurry.

Like Napster and music years ago, YouTube is now jammed with Hollywood and network TV video. Much of it is viral video, posted by anyone. Now, old media heavyweight Viacom is suing Google for a billion-plus to stop the YouTube party.

This hour On Point: culture clash, and the high stakes battle over the future video, TV and the web.

Guests:

Dawn Chmielewski, Reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He's been following the Viacom/Google story closely.;

John Palfrey, Executive Director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School.;

Paul Kedrosky, Venture Capitalist, editor of the "Infectious Greed" business blog, and Executive Director of the William J. von Liebig Center in San Diego, California.;

Ron Cass, President of Cass & Associates, chairman for the Center for the Rule of Law, and dean emeritus of Boston University School of Law.