YouTube, Warner Music feud nearing an end

The disagreement between Warner Music Group and YouTube over music licensing appears to be coming to an end.

(Credit: Warner Music Group)

The two sides have managed to reach terms on most of the major issues and a final deal could be announced within the next few weeks, sources with knowledge of the talks, told CNET News on Friday. What that means is the music and videos from such Warner acts as Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the White Stripes may soon be back on the Web's largest video site.

The thaw comes nine months after the prior licensing agreement between the companies expired and negotiations to renew broke down. Warner's music videos were removed from the Google-owned YouTube in December and users were banned from including the label's songs in their clips.

Representatives from both companies declined to comment.

CNET reported in July that the companies had begun a new round of discussions. When the deal is signed, it will mean that YouTube once again can boast agreements with all four of the largest recording companies: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner, and EMI.

A Warner partnership will continue YouTube's string of signings with major content companies. In the recent past, YouTube has locked arms with Disney, Sony Pictures, and the U.K.'s Performance Right Society.

[tekwiz4u]

Ended the fued because it was stupid in the first place, and hurting the bottom line.

[Turgeson]

Yep. WMG is bunch of greedy prix. Just like the Collegiate Images Gestapo group and thier removal of fan created vids, these guys will stop at nothing to make consumers pay for every shred of possible copyrighted material no matter how limited the use. It's not like the video creators were making money. If WMG went belly up, the music industry might actually get a soul again. There should be a way to protect intellectual property, but not at the expense of fans' ability to positively use it in a non-profit context.

[SethGoodman]

Aahh Warner, you've really pulled one over on YouTube. The highest viewed site on the web for music videos (or atleast those of your three competitors) has been utterly ravaged by your lack of cooperation. Has it really been nine months? I guess time flies when you're watching EMI, Sony, and Universal artists' videos. Welcome back!

[Police_States_of_America]

isn't the purpose of music videos to promote artists? someone's not thinking this through...

[quepasakoolj18]

I wonder if they will let the videos from users that are blocked be back online.
And I wonder if Warner's videos are still untouched, just private?

[voldemeg]

That's what I was wondering, I had a video of mine removed and then put back on with the sound disabled, which makes for a really lame music video. I wonder if I'll need to contact them or if they'll actually enable it without my asking...

[Iva83]

This is nothing until they also solve the ABKCO problem. I got banned in 2007 because I wanted to share clips from a Rolling Stones' concert.

[Jesant13]

I hope that Warner Music Group does make an agreement with Google. I remember when Green Day's official YouTube profile had most (if not all) of their music videos on it. Then suddenly, one day they just vanished. Now all that's really on there are live versions of some of their songs. It would be great if their music videos came back on their profile.

It's also annoying when you're watching a video that had WMG content in it, as there is no longer any sound. Again, I hope WMG & Google strike a deal soon.

[fshadow69]

http://www.playmobsterworld.com/?refuid=80209217&source=direct_install