Google announced today that it purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion USD in an all-stock deal. The news followed mere hours after YouTube annouced that it had reached license agreements with Universal Music Group, CBS and Sony BMG Music Entertainment. These alliances follow one made with Warner Music Group last month.
While this is Google’s most expensive purchase in its eight-year existence, it also propels it to a leadership role in the online video space.
The purchase of YouTube has had many detractors who think that copyright-infringement lawsuits could lead to serious headaches for the purchaser. The three new licensing deals suggest though that YouTube (and Google) will continue to pursue such agreements with other partners in an effort to prevent lawsuits.