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Friday 13 March 2009

Big Wigs Dun Dun It Again...

Youtube announced it has begun blocking music videos to UK users following (in their words not mine) a "failure to reach an agreement with PRS for Music" on a new royalities deal. Youtube, one of the world's most popular video sharing websites, were asked to pay an amount to the collecting agency for writers, composers and publishers, PRS for Music. Patrick Walker, Youtube's Director of Video Partnerships in Europe, told the Financial Times:- "I don't think anyone is going to be happy about this, but there's general understanding that we all need to work under terms that are reasonable for our businesses and we're hoping we'll come to a quick resolution." NAH - you don't say. Excuse me, but why do WE the general pubic who have made this US-based video comapny one of the top five market websites in the UK, have to be punished for GOOGLE Inc's greediness and PRS Music's lack of negotiation skills? It is we, the public, who spend endless hours surfing through the various video content on offer. So why are they punishing us and most importantly the UK writers, composers and publishers that are to be considered as well.
User playing Miley Cyrus video on Youtube
Steve Porter, chief executive of PRS for Music, said the organisation was "shocked and disappointed" at the last-minute notice of YouTube's "drastic action". "We believe [this] only punishes British consumers and the songwriters whose interests we protect and represent." Youtube's drastic decision means that although they will not be blocking music uploaded by artists or users independently, official preminum music videos will start to disappear from searches made by the UK public. Should Youtube agree to PRS for Music's agreement or should they fight against it and continue to block preminum Uk videos? Discuss?

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