EMI finally signed a deal with YouTube, following in the footsteps of other major music distribution labels, which will allow YouTube users to legally play copyrighted music videos on the website. Currently YouTube has signed deals with the world’s four major music companies, saving the company a lot of legal worries and providing users with a creative content pool unlike anything they had available on the site before.
The official press release says:
“EMI Music has agreed to work with YouTube and Google to develop business models in which the YouTube community will be able to access user generated content featuring EMI-owned and copyrighted audio and video works. EMI Music will use YouTube’s industry-leading content management tools which feature a content identification and reporting system that will help EMI track and monetize its content and compensate its artists. YouTube’s content management tools also give EMI Music the ability to request the removal of EMI’s copyrighted content from YouTube.”
Details on how much YouTube has paid or will be paying have not been made public yet, I’m sure EMI will be getting a fair revenue share. Most importantly, the company will have greater control over the use of their copyrighted content on YouTube. No matter how controlling and policed this new video blogging environment may appear to some, I feel it will benefit the users who will be able to make legal use of quality content by artists such as Coldplay, Gorillaz, Lily Allen, and Norah Jones.
