Google’s $1.65bn buyout of YouTube nearly went off the rails. While talks were under way, lawyers at Universal Music were readying a lawsuit against the start-up company alleging massive copyright infringement that would have made Google and other suitors back away. The deal was saved when Warner Music, led by its young digital chief, Alex Zubillaga, swept in days before the suit was to be filed and clinched a deal to distribute Warner’s music videos on YouTube in exchange for a licensing fee and a share of advertising.
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