Eh, this is interesting (youtube)

[yenrod]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7933565.stm

YouTube is blocking all premium music videos to UK users after failing to reach a new licensing agreement with the Performing Right Society (PRS).

Thousands of videos will be unavailable to YouTube users from later on Monday.

Patrick Walker, YouTube's director of video partnerships, told BBC News that the move was "regrettable".

Steve Porter, head of the PRS, said he was "outraged... shocked and disappointed" by YouTube's decision.

In a statement, Mr Porter said the move "punishes British consumers and the songwriters whose interests we protect and represent".

The PRS has asked YouTube to reconsider its decision as a "matter of urgency".

This action has been taken without any consultation with PRS for Music and in the middle of negotiations between the two parties

PRS statement

The body, which represents music publishers, added: "Google has told us they are taking this step because they wish to pay significantly less than at present to the writers of the music on which their service relies, despite the massive increase in YouTube viewing.

"This action has been taken without any consultation with PRS for Music and in the middle of negotiations between the two parties."

Mr Walker told BBC News the PRS was seeking a rise in fees "many, many factors" higher than the previous agreement.

He said: "We feel we are so far apart that we have to remove content while we continue to negotiate with the PRS."

"We are making the message public because it will be noticeable to users on the site."

Consumers must be scratching their heads in amazement at such obstacles to delivering legal content in a timely and straightforward fashion.

Darren Waters, Technology editor, BBC News website


Read more on the Dot.Life blog


Videos will begin to be blocked from 1800 GMT with the majority of them made inaccessible over the next two days.

YouTube pays a licence to the PRS which covers the streaming of music videos from three of the four major music labels and many independent labels.

Stream online

While deals with individual record labels cover the use of the visual element and sound recording in a music video, firms that want to stream online also have to have a separate deal with music publishers which covers the music and lyrics.

In the UK, the PRS acts as a collecting society on behalf of member publishers for licensing fees relating to use of music.

YouTube stressed that it continued to have "strong partnerships" with three of the four largest record labels in the world.

Mr Walker said the PRS was asking for a "prohibitive" rise in the cost of a new license.

While not specifying the rate the PRS was seeking, he said: "It has to be a rate than can drive a business model. We are in the business for the long run and we want to drive the use of online video.

"The rate they are applying would mean we would lose significant amounts of money on every stream of a music video. It is not a reasonable rate to ask."

New deal

YouTube has also complained of a lack of transparency by the PRS, saying the organisation would not specify exactly which artists would be covered by any new deal.

"That's like asking a consumer to buy a blank CD without knowing what musicians are on it," a statement from YouTube UK says on its official blog.

YouTube is the world's most popular online video site but has been under increased pressure to generate more revenue since its purchase by Google for $1.65 billion in 2006.

"We are not willing to do this [new licensing deal] at any cost," said Mr Walker.

He said the issue was an industry-wide one and not just related to YouTube.

"By setting rates that don't allow new business models to flourish, nobody wins."

Services such as Pandora.com, MySpace UK and Imeem have also had issues securing licence deals in the UK in the last 12 months.

 

[Dave5N]

That's a lot of cutting and pasting. Exceeded my attention span.

 

[colly]

Well the PRS have worked themselves into a corner and now they are bitching that YouTube are "punishing British consumers and the songwriters whose interests we protect and represent"

Err maybe. If they were so worried about 'British consumers' and performers rights then they no longer have any worries do they.
Nothing on YouTube ........job done, no one missing out.

I have no idea how much they expect YouTube et al. to stump up but it would be interesting to see exactly what the figure is.

The PRS would do well to look to their own in house management. I work for myself, by myself, in a small workshop. I get one letter a month, and a phone call at least every two months,from this badly organised crew informing me I that I may be in breach of the law by playing recorded music without stumping up to them.

No matter that I have told them, I don't know how many times, that:
a) I don't have customers in my place and
I don't play music during the day I listen to the radio and
c) Even if I did play music they can whistle for any money seeing as how I have already paid for it.

I have even had e mail from them telling me I at ''at risk of prosecution' .............well I am so worried.

Bunch of arses

And what's all that crap about copyright being extended for 70 years? A lifetimes income for an hours work?.....they might as well be bankers.

 

[Keith Oates]

I hope PRS never represent the people who make the cycling clips that get on U tube!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PaulB]

Come see the townsfolk keenly gathered round the gibbet
They’ve got a book of five hundred cloakroom tickets
See what they’ve gone and done
To the trendy mother from the sitcom
When she said “Penny for ‘em?”
To her teenage son, who was staring into space
Comedy hypnotist, when you wake up you’ll be me
And you’ll walk to the side of the road and you’ll see
All the cars and the lorries and the buses and vans
But to you, they’ll be like mmm savoury snacks
When you’re feeling really hungry
You can just step out and eat one, go on
You know you want to
Runrig with special guest Mike Peters
Red and white, black and white, blue and white bandanas
See what we’ve gone and done
To the band who got a bit pompous
They called their fan club an Information Service
Agony Aunt if I had the arse of a crow
And the wings of a sparrow, and you were below
Sitting on park bench in memory of
Bad dreams with a girl you’ve loved the most of your life
With an IRN DJ, at an A&R showcase
A&R showcase
PRS, PRS, PRS yearbook (quick the drawbridge, quick the drawbridge)
PRS, PRS, PRS yearbook (quick the drawbridge, quick the drawbridge)
PRS, PRS golf weekend, I used to think that you had to attend

 

[LordoftheTeapot]

PRS charge around £12.00 per week for a Juke-box in a public place.

 

[Melvil]

The web will find some other way. It always does. And the record companies will realise about 6-12 months too late. As always happens. Life carries on.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

wise words melvil. at the mo i'm wondering why spotify is ad free at home, but not work, when neither accounts are paid for ones…

 

[col]

I think col is applying for a job there as we write!

I've been blocked from a good few music videos for months now. The dreaded "This video is not available in your country". It's been getting gradually worse recently.

Maybe not

 

[Bodhbh]

Bah there goes the apres pub internet browsing.