So, where's that Eminem video then? Oh, damn, it's gone. Yep, videos from artists signed to the Universal Music Group are no longer appearing on Yahoo! Music or AOL Music this morning after the two music platforms failed to come to a deal with the major as to how they will pay for the content.
Universal is the first major label to insist on a pay-per-view set up for the streaming of music videos, bringing video content in line with audio content. When it announced that new policy it told digital media platforms streaming their content that they had a month to sign up to the new arrangement - and that deadline passed yesterday. MSN's music platform has come to a deal, reportedly paying the record label a penny each time one of their videos is streamed, plus a cut of ad revenue. However AOL and Yahoo have no such arrangement. As a result the former has cut all
Universal content from their video service, while the latter has taken down new Universal content, claiming catalogue videos are still covered by an existing agreement they have with the major.
Insiders say that negotiations between both platforms and Universal bosses are ongoing but are taking longer than anticipated. That said, some speculate that both Yahoo and MSN wanted to demonstrate they could, if necessary, exist without Universal's content, strengthening their hand at the bargaining table.