UK music rights holder confirms licensing deal with YouTube

UK music publisher and royalty collection group PRS for Music (PRS) has signed a multi-jurisdictional licensing agreement with video streaming website YouTube.

The agreement, which spans 130 countries, will give Google-owned YouTube a licence to use the songs of artists represented by PRS.

The deal includes live footage and official music videos and will apply across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Music licensing enables the license holder to host music even when the rights do not belong to them.

PRS for Music, which represents more than 100,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers, was one of the first societies outside of the US to license YouTube, in 2007.

However, the new agreement, announced on August 21, is one of the most extensive yet.

Describing streaming as a “key growth area,” Robert Ashcroft, chief executive at PRS said, “YouTube’s vast reach around the world offers our publishers and songwriters a unique stage and music lovers access to millions of songs.

“I am delighted we have reached such an important multi-territory agreement.”

Michael Hart, partner at Baker & Mckenzie LLP in London, also welcomed the spanning of multiple nations.

Describing it as “the way of the future,” Hart said, “single territory licensing does not reflect the reality of the Internet and media today.  We should be encouraging simpler, multi-territorial licensing structures.”

Mark Brown, partner at Bristows LLP in London, welcomed the partnership as a “major stepping stone.”

“I think that the many thousands of composers, music publishers and songwriters represented by the PRS will very much welcome this new deal,” Brown told WIPR.

However, Brown added that it would be interesting to monitor how the arrangement would work given its large jurisdiction.

“The contractual framework may be sound but the proof of the pudding will lie in the technology apparatus set up to deal with the content recognition for the YouTube platform and license fee collections and distribution to the various rights holders.

“It may be that much of this is already adequately in place through PRS’ present systems.”

Chris Maxcy, director of global music partnerships at YouTube added, “this means the UK's music publishers, songwriters and composers can continue to reach new and existing fans on YouTube and the passionate YouTube community can keep enjoying listening to music and discovering new artists online.”