Google has requested a 30-day extension to reply to Viacom's complaint because Google has yet to retain counsel, Google Watch has learned.

Viacom agreed to the extension in a letter addressed to Judge Louis L. Stanton from an attorney representing Viacom.

Google is now required to respond by May 2, 2007. Google representatives did not immediately respond to an e-mail requesting comment.

Viacom filed a $1 billion complaint against Google and YouTube on March 13, accusing both companies of "massive intentional copyright infringement" and seeking an injunction against further violations.

Viacom, which sent a takedown notice to YouTube in February for 100,000 videos, contends that almost 160,000 unauthorized clips of its programming have been uploaded onto YouTube's site and viewed more than 1.5 billion times.