YouTube yesterday announced deals with major music publishers including rBMG Rights Management, Christian Copyright Solutions, ABKCO Music, Inc., Songs Music Publishing, Words & Music, Copyright Administration, Music Services, Reservoir Media Management, and Songs of Virtual.
The new deals, along with the licenses from the publishers who opted into last year’s deal with the NMPA and Harry Fox Agency, enables YouTube to monetize nearly all of the user generated videos with music on YouTube. When publishers allow YouTube to run ads alongside user generated videos that incorporate their compositions, then the publishers, the songwriters they represent, and the record labels and artists using their compositions each receive a share of the revenue.
It is unlikely, however, that the new deals will silence recent RIAA criticism that YouTube does not do enough when there is a violation. The YouTube Content ID system is used by 3,000+ partners including every major US music publisher, record label, network broadcaster, and movie studio. But critics claim that Google could do more.
