MSNBC.comYouTube and Google Video both announced video content deals with big US media companies underscoring the change in attitude among established media companies towards the fast expanding video-sharing web services and significantly lessening the risk that they will face copyright-related law suits.
The agreements also come amid speculation that Google is in talks to acquire California start-up YouTube for around $1.6bn.
YouTube struck content deals with CBS, Vivendi's Universal Music Group and Sony BMG Music Entertainment while Google said it has signed deals with Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group to stream free music videos on its Google video website. YouTube struck a similar deal with Warner Music last month.
The deals highlight the willingness of mainstream media companies to embrace the user-generated online video services rather than challenging them in the courts over the posting of copyright material.
Universal in particular had threatened to sue the video sharing services over piracy but the established media companies now appear view video sharing services as a potential new source of revenues and a way to promote their own brands.
Under the terms of the YouTube agreement with CBS, the media group will provide short-form video content for a CBS "brand channel" on YouTube's site, including news, sports, Showtime and prime-time programming, starting this month.
Among the offerings CBS said it plans to offer are short clips from top programs including "Survivor," as well as mini-previews for new fall shows. YouTube and CBS will share revenue from advertising sponsorships of CBS Videos.
"We're now able to offer select entertainment, news and sports programming to a new significant audience, get paid for it, and learn a few things along the way," said Leslie Moonves, president and chief executive of CBS.
CBS will also test new YouTube technology that will help the network find copyrighted content on YouTube and remove it. CBS will also be allowed to leave that content on the site, and share revenue from advertising that appears next to the copyrighted video.
Separately, Vivendi's Universal Music Group said it had agreed to give YouTube viewers access to thousands of music videos. The company said it and its artists will be compensated not just for the official videos, but also for user-generated content that incorporates Universal's music. Universal said it will also use technology to filter out copyrighted content not authorised to appear on the YouTube site.
Meanwhile Sony BMG Music Entertainment, the joint venture between Sony and Bertelsmann, also said Monday it will make video content available on YouTube -- and will also let YouTube users include some catalog songs in their own amateur video uploads. Sony BMG said it will share advertising revenue with YouTube for all music videos that incorporate audio or video works from the Sony BMG library.
"YouTube is committed to balancing the needs of the fan community with those of copyright holders," said Chad Hurley, chief executive of YouTube.
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Warner Music Group to Offer Google Video Users Music Video Content  Google and Warner Music Group have announced a strategic business relationship designed to give Google users the ability to stream on-demand WMG's extensive music video collection for free, through an ad-supported revenue sharing agreement, or to purchase videos online for download. Starting this month, users in the U.S. can watch any of the thousands of music videos, artist interviews, "behind-the-scenes" footage and other artist-related content from WMG on Google Video. In the coming months, users can also access audio-visual content from WMG through Google's partner websites in its AdSense network. In addition, Google will develop technology that, when implemented, will enable users to include certain content from companies such as Warner Music Group in the videos they create and upload to Google Video.WMG will be able to monetize its music video content online by leveraging Google's extensive advertiser network of hundreds of thousands of advertisers. WMG's music video catalog will be sponsored by Google advertisers, making it free to all users. The resulting generated advertising revenue will be shared by WMG and Google. Besides providing ad-supported content on Google Video, select WMG's music videos will immediately be available for purchase as downloads on Google Video for $1.99. In the coming months, WMG will also work with Google to distribute its substantial video collection to websites around the world via Google's extensive AdSense publisher network, making it even easier for users to access free premium content while surfing the Web. Web publishers will be able to easily display videos that match the tone of their sites adding value to their online content and creating a new way to earn revenue from their sites. For example, a fan site devoted to a particular WMG artist can run ad-supported music videos from that artist. Each time a user is interested in the accompanying ad and clicks on the link, the Web publisher, WMG and Google will share in the resulting revenue. WMG and Google are working together to allow users access to music from WMG's recorded music library for use in their creative user-generated productions. Once Google's technology is implemented, content companies such as Warner Music Group will have the opportunity to monetize the use of music in user-generated content, or if they choose, have the content removed from the platform. |
