An otherwise tepid National Cable & Telecommunications Association conference heated up yesterday when big media sounded off on Google and Yahoo during the "State of the Industry" panel. From what we've heard the panel of old media executives was supposed to focus on straight-forward topics like how new media outlets are changing the market.
But things started to take a turn for the ridiculous once Time
Warner Inc.'s Chief Executive Richard Parsons took the mic and spewed gems like, "The Googles of the world, they are the Custer of the modern world. We are the Sioux nation. . .They will lose this war if they go to war. The notion that the new kids on the block have taken over is a false notion."
It's one thing to air out your dirty laundry with Youtube as Viacom CEO
Philippe Dauman did on the panel--but likening Google to General George
Custer? We're not sure if that analogy really works, what with the U.S.
government eventually forcing the Sioux to relocate. With any luck the Myspace/Photobucket union and open letters like this one showing up in Forbes are a step towards minimizing any future history lessons.
Pictured above: Time Warner Inc. CEO Richard Parsons
