BoingBoing is reporting that NBC has ordered the removal of the Lazy Sunday: Chronicles of Narnia SNL video skit from YouTube.
While I know NBC has copyright and YouTube pulled it down to respect that (or to not get sued), NBC doesn’t get it. That video being on YouTube and other video sites has provided an amount of exposure for SNL and NBC that they could have never had otherwise. I used to watch SNL all the time years ago, but haven’t watched much in recent years. After seeing Lazy Sunday, I’ve watched the last few episodes. Does NBC not want more viewers? Do they not want more ad dollars? Do they want their show to lack exposure?
I’m sure they’re worried because they aren’t profiting directly from people watching that clip on YouTube. But isn’t that shortsighted? Don’t they realize how many new Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell fans there are that are going to tune in every week now?
Maybe they should just get with it and start putting the clips out there on their own for free with ads or some other way to monetize it. Right Fred?
Link to the YouTube Blog announcement of pulling down the video.