You can’t blame music video startup Muzu.tv from weighing into the YouTube/PRS debate and saying its way of doing things beats Google’s. If we were them, we’d be doing the same.So, managing director Mark French has issued this statement:”It’s not the music industry’s fault that YouTube’s business model doesn’t stack up. The model doesn’t support paying the current PRS rates let alone the payment to artists, because they cannot command high enough advertising rates…He continues: “Because sites like YouTube are built off the back of user generated content, and have a storied past of allowing ‘illegal’ content to be viewed – brands are resistant to pay premium advertising rates.”MUZU.TV was purpose built for the music industry with a viable model that protects the CPM by its 100% focus on premium music content. While the industry needs to look at the minimum stream rates to make new business models viable and sustainable it should not let YouTube hold it to ransom.”He certainly has a point with the idea that music videos may sit best within their own dedicated site where a premium can be charged for ads. However, YouTube itself is strongly rumoured to be investigating just such an idea in partnership with Universal Music Group.Meanwhile, while Muzu has won praise for its impressive website, and has deals with Sony, EMI and hundreds of indie labels, it’s yet to sign WMG or UMG, hinting that it faces its own challenges dotting the i’s on licensing deals.
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Tools: Kaiber
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