Avoiding controversy and court battles, YouTube is letting the various media conglomerates purge copyrighted material from its web site. This weekend, YouTube removed approximately 30,000 Comedy Central clips including the Daily Show and South Park.

I understand Comedy Central’s (and parent company Viacom’s) concern over copyright protection, but again the old media guard are failing to see the big picture. The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert all have bigger audiences online than on TV. The content created by these shows bleeds viral video and has, as a result, created a monster media influence out of a show with only 1 million television viewers. This is why logic minded Stewart has endorsed the online viewing of Daily Show content.

Comedy Central might be trying to capitalize on their online popularity, forcing people to their own Motherload site, filled with videos. This is an excellent step. But unfortunately, the internet is not about having content on your site. The web lives on linking and sharing content. YouTube’s strength not only comes from a centralized video library, but also with the ease it allows users to put those videos on their own website. Comedy Central’s Motherload offers a limited selection of their content and you’re forced to view it on their site alone.

I have already posted about video sites hosting full television episodes. I see major advertising and audience potential in this, but unfortunately the profitable business model fails media companies who prefer the reliability of DVD sales and syndication. But clips, even of fictional shows, satiate fans in between watching the shows. With more niche groups watching shows, especially cable, we need the ability to quickly share content in order to discuss it around the water cooler.