I think it is safe to assume that the YouTube/PRS issue will be one of the things discussed at the first proper meeting of the Featured Artist Coalition which, as previously reported, takes place in London tonight. This, of course, is a new trade body specifically for featured artists, and ensuring said artists get a fair deal in every copyright arrangement is one of their key aims. For them the YouTubes of this world, and the shady record companies, and maybe even the likes of PRS, are all potential enemies in the copyright domain.
Pre-empting tonight's first meeting, one of the Coalition's founding directors, Blur's David Rowntree, told CMU: "The digital revolution has swept away the old music business of the 1960s, and changed forever the relationship between artists and fans. For companies who made their living sitting between the two, these are increasingly hard times, but for music makers and music fans this should be a fantastic opportunity. YouTube's row with the PRS is the most recent example of just how fast the music industry is changing. There has never been a greater need for the collective voice of featured artists, whose music generates 95% of revenue in the industry, to be properly heard". He continued: "As this revolution gathers pace featured artists must seize the initiative. We are looking to forge a new deal, built on fairness, with our fans, the music industry and governments. To achieve this, we must own our future, take real control of our rights and genuinely work together. Acting alone, artists' voices will not be heard. Acting together, we can be a powerful force. Our rights are our power. By making ourselves heard and arguing for what's fair, we can help reshape the industry for the future so that it serves the interests of those who want to make new music, as well as those who want to hear new music".