YouTube to block UK music videos

[MarkWaldorf]

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".

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.

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.

Source: BBC News

OMFG.

[Harry!]

First WMG then THIS! ****** YOU PRS!!!!!!!!!

[Ninastar]

Silly wankshits.

p.s is it this monday?

[JOSHUAH!]

THATS SO DUMB :(

[Firewire]

What the actual ****?

[Captain.Remy]

HAHAHA for once I'm happy to be living in France. :tongue:

[30stone]

LOL

Ill stop listening to music altogether, because now if i ever do i only get youtube up.

[Princess]

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

edit:Wait does that include Ireland????

[\PJ/]

My freind MR.Proxy said he will sort it out for me...

[Tom]

only blocking premium clips so people who upload what they've captured from music channels will still be up

or just use hypercloak

[Harry!]

Originally posted by Princess
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

edit:Wait does that include Ireland????

UK as in Northern Island, Wales, England, Scotland. ROI is fine

[Matt]

That sucks. :(

Here's The Guardian's report:

YouTube in the UK is to be stripped of its most popular music videos after the site failed to agree a new licencing deal with the Performing Rights Society for Music, the trade body that collects music royalties.

YouTube said today that after the expiry of its former deal, PRS had proposed new payment terms that would be financially prohibitive for the site and would require YouTube to pay out more than it makes from the ads next each video.

It also said that PRS would not agree to identify which artists and songs are covered by which licence, something essential for YouTube's content ID system to identify and reimburse rights holders for each song that is viewed.

"We value the creativity of musicians and song writers and have worked hard with rights-holders to generate significant online revenue for them and to respect copyright," said Google in a statement.

"But PRS is now asking us to pay many, many times more for our license than before. The costs are simply prohibitive for us - under PRS's proposed terms we would lose significant amounts of money with every playback."

Google said it is still negotiating with PRS but in the meantime, premium videos from artists on EMI, Universal, Warner and Sony and some indie labels have started to disappear for UK viewers and will
be systematically removed over the next few days.

PRS said in a statement that it is "outraged on behalf of consumers and songwriters that Google has chosen to close down access to music videos on YouTube in the UK".

Contradicting Google's statement, PRS insists that Google has made this move because it wants to reduce the amount it pays in royalties, despite an increase in viewer numbers.

Source (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/mar/09/digital-music-and-audio-youtube)

[officialleafan]

Youtube is becoming a joke now. First they go on Copyright ramage by taking sound from people's music/fan vids. Then C4 block all of BBUK. Now music video's are being blocked. I'm thinking that it's time to find a new website to watch video's online.

[Tom4784]

Idiots, Youtube's becoming a joke with all these stupid things they are doing. I can see another video site becoming more popular soon if Youtube continues to be run by Buffoons.

Doing that to a whole country....Idiots.

[Matt]

Originally posted by officialleafan
Then C4 block all of BBUK.

That still pisses me off :mad:

[bronaaaa]

Originally posted by Ninabitch
Silly wankshits.

p.s is it this monday?

LOL yes its monday :wink:

Heard this on the news :bawling:

[Callum]

They must be adding loads of new videos on to iTunes then, I don't really mind because the iTunes staff gave me a load of free video credit few weeks back.

[arista]

Originally posted by officialleafan
Youtube is becoming a joke now. First they go on Copyright ramage by taking sound from people's music/fan vids. Then C4 block all of BBUK. Now music video's are being blocked. I'm thinking that it's time to find a new website to watch video's online.



Hang on a Minute
the PRS are increasing their amount so much
that makes it not fair
and they can not fund it.


PRS are Nutters
who demand a Massive increase
that You Tube UK can not afford.

[arista]

Originally posted by Muse
Idiots, Youtube's becoming a joke with all these stupid things they are doing. I can see another video site becoming more popular soon if Youtube continues to be run by Buffoons.

Doing that to a whole country....Idiots.



No PRS are not being fair.
They collect the money
and want a higher price.


Say you pay your current Electric Bill
For Example, it is £300 a month
and then it goes up to £2,300 a month
would you Pay?????????????

I posted it on Serious Debates
as this ain't General this is deadly serious

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=109484

[Iceman]

Originally posted by PJ
My freind MR.Proxy said he will sort it out for me...

I know him too!!:cheer2:

[Nicky.]

Double thread.. double post coming :blush2:

oo!

Interesting :3

I think McFly ones will be okey.. as they have their own record label..

So they will still work I presume..

Sucks about other artists I like though! D:

[Harry!]

Madonna's videos got removed because of WMG:bawling::bawling::bawling:

[arista]

Originally posted by Madonna
Madonna's videos got removed because of WMG:bawling::bawling::bawling:



PRS put the Price to high.
It is their fault.

[Harry!]

Originally posted by arista
Originally posted by Madonna
Madonna's videos got removed because of WMG:bawling::bawling::bawling:



PRS put the Price to high.
It is their fault.

Still, No Madonna:bawling::bawling::bawling: