Google is shutting down its premium video service after it has acquired YouTube. This has left its subscribers with any avenue to view the content they have subscribed.

Google Video was launched by Google co-founder Larry Page at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas offering video content at its site for as cheap as US$1.99 since January 2006.

Nine months ago, Google paid US$1.65b for the highly successful YouTube. YouTube is an online site for hosting video clips and sells video online. The success of YouTube has pushed Google Video service to almost irrelevance.

Google is offering its customer a Google Checkout credit of US$5 which will expire in 60 days.

YouTube’s popularity is getting itself into the ‘dark world’ of copyright infringement.
YouTube’s members are uploading video files with content which may be in breach of copyright.

Presently, many companies like Football Association Premier League, Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, Viacom, Nickelodeon and National Musical Publishers’ Association (NMPA) are suing YouTube for their content uploaded and hosted in YouTube. The creative works of these companies and artists were uploaded without prior permission or compensation by YouTube.

According to YouTube, they are staying within the law by immediately removing any clips that are found to be in breach of copyright.

The combined case will be heard in New York.