Viacom is suing YouTube for unauthorized use of some 160,000 video clips from MTV, Comedy Central and VH1. Viacom thinks that $1 billion is fair recompense for the 1.5 billion times the clips were viewed. Viacom's argument included this:

This is value that rightfully belongs to the writers, directors and talent who create it and companies like Viacom that have invested to make possible this innovation and creativity.

Like Viacom gives a shit about those writers and directors, much less creovation.

Bravo paid an undisclosed sum for Television Without Pity.com. Creators Sarah Bunting and Tara Ariano will remain as editors, but Bravo will no doubt quish the life out of the recaps and ferret out employees who post on the message boards.

Court TV is dropping the court part and rebranding as some generic reality network with first person programming such as a cops with cocktails show about nightclub bouncers and an all-girl team of bounty hunters. Nancy Grace and Star Jones, neither of whom are stars nor graceful, will command a two hour talk show block. Why not just call it The Lowest Ring of Hell and be done with it?

M. Night Shyamalan gets an infusion of producing cash from Indian media comglomerate UTV Motion Pictures. Lady in the Water must not have opened there yet or else someone in Mumbai really wants to see Philly. Do they know that cheesesteaks come from cows?

ABC speeds up National Bingo Night, a play-along game show. Interactive as all get-out, this isn't Grandma's bingo--and the set is a bingoplex! It's a slot machine in your tv!