James Delahunty
10 Dec 2011 9:44
YouTube acquires New York-based music rights management firm.
YouTube claims that smart copyright management is an important part of its mega-popular online video service, making it possible for songwriters and performers to be compensated fairly for the use of their works, while also enabling those works to be used in new ways.
The company has invested tens of millions of dollars in content management technology so far. Content ID, for example, lets rights owners identify user-uploaded videos that comprise of entirely, or partially their content. The rights owners can then choose to block them from YouTube altogether, gets statistics on them or opt to make revenue from them.
Now YouTube is adding to its content/copyright management toolkit with the acquisition of RightsFlow. The New York firm deals with the complex issues of licensing and royalty payment management.
"By combining RightsFlow's expertise and technology with YouTube's platform, we hope to more rapidly and efficiently license music on YouTube, meaning more music for you all to enjoy, and more money for the talented people producing the music," YouTube said.
"From music videos to live-streamed concerts, YouTube has become a launch-pad for both aspiring musicians and more established independent artists?which is why we have and will continue to invest in tools that make it easier for copyright owners to manage their content online."