There’s more news and action in the fight back from songwriters aiming to tackle the new media world we live in…

Those good people at the PRS (Performing Rights Society) have set up a website to highlight the “issues of online earnings” or lack of in many cases. For sure - a noble cause.

This is one that we look at and smile though…sorry but firstly the people involved are now aiming to get their content back on You Tube whose owners Google recently took it off after the PRS said the out-payment needed to increase. The PRS arguably forced the Google action.

We smile because of the people apparently posting comments on the new forum at www.fairplayforcreators.com include Pete Waterman, Paul Gambacini, Mark Kelly (of Marillion fame) and Jules Holland – no doubt all significant men of music in their own rights but also people that seem to have their hand out rather than look at working with smart new media people that can help them monetise their content in the longer term.

There are ridiculous claims about Google earning’s that dismiss Google (one of the biggest commercial successes for decades) in its own right and imply that You Tube is a money making machine - its not, not yet anyway. Have a guess what it costs to host and deliver all that video? Yes - Google is a money making machine but Google is primarily a search engine not a music video jukebox - thats worth a mention.

The music ‘landscape’ has changed so quickly, it’s been a revolution but it seems odd to pick a fight with arguably the one business that can unlock the current digital music conundrum.

You Tube showcases music to new audiences - a bit like radio - but the advertising model has changed big time. Take a look at local or regional radio – it don’t work. OK BBC Radio has the privileged position of being funded by tax payers so that’s an exception but the future for radio as we knew it is looking dubious. They can’t afford royalties either because advertisers have gone elsewhere. There is fragmentation like never before – you have to accept that because that is a fact, people have more choice man!

We totally respect the song writing process (our whole social circle is songwriters, bands etc) but we don’t see too many new artists up there fighting the corner at the moment…maybe they see things differently? Maybe not – its gonna be interesting to see how things evolve.

We just think that the dust needs to settle and that albeit YouTube is painted as the devil by some they do deliver a lot to bands that without the Internet would arguably be forgotten. Tens of millions of fans in one place for starters. There are ways to monetise the traffic of your content on You Tube…talk to a digital agency. The stakeholders in the value chain of digital music are changing but there is still money to be made just not how it used to be made!

In an ideal world royalty payments of yesteryear would apply to all media channels but they don’t do they?

The cat is already out of the bag, the music industry could have been more proactive 10 years ago but its Executive’s of the time chose not to be and things evolved to where we are today. Time machines needed but not available.

Now if you’re thinking hang on if someone creates music then they need to get paid for it if other people consume it, then fine. We do too.

You just can’t look at this You Tube/ PRS thing in isolation, there are other bands that have used online, websites, You Tube even to help them build, identify and communicate with their audience like never before.

Maybe online businesses with lower overheads can afford higher revenue share on advertising income with bands – surely that’s an evolution, an opportunity for somebody?

All we’re saying is that the AUDIENCE is online, the PEOPLE, the MUSIC LOVERS have embraced online music, for good. If companies facilitate between creators and consumers then a fairer more equitable model needs to be found but ‘taking your ball home’ isn’t the way to go about it. Google will be quaking in their boots – yeah right.

Google know that the barriers to entry to making music have gone. So if Rick Astley wants to pull down his content because he ain’t getting enough cash, then fine – they’ll be another thousand soul boy crooners that will take his place. New artists that will figure out how to make a living online if that’s what makes them create music in the first place.

This is going to run and run and GYEO genuinely hope the PRS and You Tube work it out but we keep saying…the times they are a changing man. You can’t turn back the clocks.

GYEO