Video-sharing Web site YouTube Inc. struck content deals Monday (Oct. 9) with Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and CBS Corp. For several days, Google Inc. has been rumored to be in talks to acquire YouTube, a California-based startup company.
Vivendi’s Universal Music Group said Monday it 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.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Universal Music Group said it will also use technology to filter out copyrighted content not authorized to appear on the YouTube site.
Sony BMG Music Entertainment, a joint venture between Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG, 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.
Separately, CBS Corp. revealed Monday it 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, CBS said.
“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.
CBS shares fell 16 cents to $28.31 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and American Depositary Shares of Sony lost 26 cents at $37.52.
Additionally, Google revealed Monday that it had secured partnerships with Sony BMG and Warner Music.
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