EMI, YouTube Agree Music Use Arrangement, Mash-Ups Covered
By Robert Andrews - Thu 31 May 2007 08:36 AM PST
EMI has struck a licensing deal with Google covering use of its artists’ music on YouTube. The deal, which makes EMI the last of the majors to form an official partnership with YouTube, will not only allow the label to add its audio and video repertoire to the video site for the first time, it also includes royalties paid for music used over user-generated videos.
This is a win for YouTube, which, after making efforts to reassure content owners by rolling out tools to track copyrighted content, can be sure of avoiding another lawsuit. From the release: “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.” Universal, SonyBMG and WMG had already been using such technology as part of their arrangements with YouTube.
Coming this week, however, it is another announcement that makes EMI, in the process of being sold, look like one of the smartest labels on the block. Not only did its repertoire arrive in higher-quality, DRM-free form on iTunes Store on Wednesday; Apple’s other announcement yesterday, that it had partnered with Google to show latest YouTube clips on AppleTV, will now make EMI artists available on that platform, too.
Posted in: Companies, Google, YouTube, Countries, UK & Europe, Music
