I had just posted an article about the networks trying to form an alternative to YouTube.

I continued researching and ran across this little quote from TechCrunch: "Google has offered substantial payoffs to the networks to keep their content on YouTube." Elsewhere, I read that number may be $140 million each.

If true, this would be more money than those same networks would receive from building their own online network. At least it is more money than they would get in the short term.

I believe the networks should think a little longer term. The demand for online video advertising will grow very large in the next few years. Played correctly, the networks could receive a significant portion of that money (and it could be measured in the billions!).