Long angered at its content being available for illegal downloading on YouTube and new parent Google, media giant Viacom has demanded the sites take down all copyrighted content, reports Variety.  Viacom had been in private talks with Google and YouTube personnell, attempting to hash out a deal whereby the online video providers would automatically reject copyrighted material from appearing on their sites.  However, private talks broke down, leading Viacom to take its beef public.

Viacom is not the only corporate entity to take on Google.  Most of the big traditional content providers are hoping for a paid slice of YouTube, though no other company has actually issued a takedown notice.  This is a smart move on the parts of the other companies, as online viewers show greater loyalty to easily-accessible content.  By demanding that their content be made harder to access, Viacom may very well be alienating the viewers it claims it wants to woo. Viacom properties include MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount, and others.