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Spotify lets video licences lapse, insists it remains committed to video
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 26 October 2016
Less than a year after publicly launching its video platform, Spotify has let licensing deals with various big name content providers lapse. Gone are all the videos from Vice, ESPN, MTV, Comedy Central and more that you’d totally forgotten were there in the first place. However, the company insists that it remains committed to its video feature.
Video content was one of the big new features (some of which have never gone live) announced at a Spotify press conference in May 2015, pre-empting the launch of Apple Music. Video was a particular focus, and notably non-music videos, with Comedy Central content particularly highlighted.
Swedish website Breakit, which first reported the news of the bought-in videos disappearing, claims that Spotify spent around £45 million on securing licensing deals for video content. On the streaming service’s mobile app in the UK, most video content featured is now Spotify’s own in-house productions, with one from the Financial Times and a few TED Talks also on offer.
A spokesperson for Vice told Breakit: “Spotify has shut down the entire service, so I think that is where you will find your answers”.
However, in a statement, Spotify denied that this was the case, saying that it remains committed to video: “We’re 100% committed to video and podcast content and exploring new and fresh ideas for our audience, and we have lots of great original content available now or coming soon, such as our Landmark Metallica documentary. We work with many different non-music content partners to develop and deliver content, and that roster of partners naturally changes from time to time”.
Ah yes, don’t forget the podcasts, which seemingly remain untouched. Yep, you can still listen to the CMU Podcast on there, no need to worry about that.
