EMI Music spins Google YouTube song and dance
Just as Internet Kings Chad Hurley and Eric Schmidt were on stage last week at the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital conference spinning YouTube is (still) working on video copyright protection tools, so no need for multibillion dollar (Viacom) infringement claims, Hurley was also unleashing a we're copyright owners friends combo pitch in conjunction with YouTube's latest "partner," EMI Music.
I analyzed friday YouTube: What MySpace can teach Google about copyright asking rhetorically: Why is the top social networking play, MySpace, run by “old media” News Corp. able, and willing, to protect the copyright of the content of others, BUT the top video sharing play, YouTube, run by GOOGLE, insists it is stuck in the copyright protection “tools” mud.
SEE: MySpace polices video copyright: Where is Google YouTube?
The Google YouTube royal management team apparently will say anything, anywhere, disingenuous or not. Not only was the Google YouTube All Things Digital spiel an inaccurate portrayal of their true copyright protection stance, the YouTube EMI joint press statement released almost simulataneously is in contradiction with the Hurley-Schmidt our copyright tools would be to Viacom's rescue, (not so) soon.
While the YouTube EMI Music "milestone partnership" press release is a typical study in unclear, evasive Google YouTube speak, it clearly sugggests YouTube HAS copyright infringement protection tools, contrary to the Schmidt Hurley protestations at All Things Digital, and EMI Music gets them:
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.
What IS the deal then? The YouTube EMI Music deal? In typical Google style of fanfare without the substance, there does not appear to be any specific deal.
As as been the YouTube "partner" modus operandi, Googgle will call the EMI Music shots because YouTube has the fans, all of them. The bottom "milestone" partnership line simply appears to be that EMI agrees to be Google and YouTube fan friendly: EMI Music accords YouTube its copyright content and agrees not to sue Google.
What does EMI Music get in return? Nothing guaranteed:
EMI Music has agreed to work with YouTube and Google to develop business models in which the YouTube community will be able to access user generated content featuring EMI-owned and copyrighted audio and video works.
Eric Nicoli, CEO of EMI Group, said: “Working with YouTube under this agreement meets EMI’s objectives to offer consumers the best possible entertainment experiences, to create new ways to connect our artists to fans and to enter into innovative business models that will generate revenues for our business and our creators. YouTube has quickly established itself as a stand-out fan favorite because it’s a site that taps into what people want and also consistently delivers a good experience.
And YouTube, Google, EMI Music are to live happily ever after.
What about Viacom's copyright ownership rights? Viacom doesn't "get it," so it doesn't get the "tools," if YouTube actually even has them, or not.
READ MY EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Google at Risk: YouTube class action lawsuit changes DMCA copyright game