On Jan. 29, I received an e-mail notification from YouTube—that ubiquitous video-sharing website—informing me the sound had been disabled on a video I’d posted there. The bit of Internet in question was a souped-up slideshow of photos taken on a trip to Disneyland with friends, synched to the song “Your Imagination” by former Beach Boy Brian Wilson.
I initially assumed Wilson or his representatives had put in a complaint. A couple of days later, a Google search for my video turned up a YouTube page with a message reading, “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by WMG.”
The entire video had been disabled.
With another Google search, I discovered that WMG stands for Warner Music Group. On Dec. 20, 2008, the music company began muting and removing videos from YouTube. (The company is no longer affiliated with former parent company, media giant AOL Time Warner.)
Amanda B. Collins, WMG’s senior director of corporate communications, said YouTube’s use of WMG’s content had previously been “monetized” by an agreement between the two companies. She was unable to go into detail regarding the deal.
I was intrigued by the idea that Central Coast residents have felt the impact of the clash between two corporate titans. And I knew I couldn’t be the only one.
WMG also recently muted “Save Mission La Purisima,” a video by Santa Maria photographer Cathy L. Gregg (a.k.a. “The Lightning Lady”), which used the song “Blue Spanish Sky” by Chris Isaak.
“I understand the copyright issue,” Gregg said. “I myself deal with graphic design and photography. I’m very pro-copyright. The thing is, we aren’t making any money off of YouTube, so I don’t see what the problem is.”
While YouTube may be making ad revenue off of the videos, none of that money goes to the people who create and post the short clips.
One version of Gregg’s “Lightning Storm Santa Maria” video was scored with a symphonic cover of U2’s “Bad,” owned by Vitamin Records. Gregg explained how that company responded when it found her video:
“They asked nicely that if I wanted to continue using the music on this version [of the video], all that I had to do was provide a link to their website and they would allow me to continue using that song,” Gregg said. “I have had many, many requests from people all over the world asking me where I found that music. I always reply and send them to Vitamin Records. I have no doubt that their sales of that song have increased. This, to me, is a better way to go about this controversy. One would think that WMG would want to increase sales instead of angering the public.”
YouTube users from around the world have used their own open forum to speak out about WMG’s course of action—and that forum is YouTube itself. Enter “WMG” in the site’s search bar and dozens of videos come up. The first on the list at the time this article was written—an item titled “You Suck Warner Music Group (and so does Google/YouTube)”—pretty much sets the tone for the feedback. Be forewarned that many of the videos, as well as the comments users have posted about them, are peppered with profanity.
When asked about the negative reaction from some YouTube users, WMG’s Collins responded that it was “a shame,” however, she didn’t comment on how the move might impact the company’s public image.
YouTube isn’t the only online option for sharing videos, though it is the big “brand name,” practically synonymous with online video sharing in the same way that Google is pretty much synonymous with searching the Internet.
On YouTube’s video upload screen, a prominent message reads: “Important: Do not upload any TV shows, music videos, music concerts, or commercials without permission unless they consist entirely of content you created yourself.”
Despite the caution, all of the listed forbidden items exist in abundance on the site. Removal seems to happen mainly when a copyright holder makes a complaint. Collins couldn’t say how many videos WMG had already muted or taken down from YouTube, but she did note that the removal is an ongoing process.
Material by WMG artists from AC/DC to ZZ Top still appears on YouTube. It’s difficult to discern how many locals have had videos taken down, since the search involves looking for something that already isn’t there.
But will the removed content ever return to YouTube? A WMG statement reads: “We are working actively to find a resolution with YouTube that would enable the return of our artists’ content to the site. Until then, we simply cannot accept terms that fail to appropriately and fairly compensate recording artists, songwriters, labels, and publishers for the value they provide.”
Collins said she was hopeful a solution would be reached. The press relations department of Google/YouTube didn’t respond to requests for an interview by phone and e-mail.
All is not lost, however, for video posters who just have to have music. YouTube users can access a section of the site called “My Videos,” where they can dispute a copyright claim. They can also replace the audio of a removed video via the “AudioSwap” feature. But to what should they switch it? Ask Brian Williams. The local musician was browsing nature videos on YouTube when he ran across Gregg’s lightning video.
“I don’t always read descriptions [of the videos],” he said, “but I did this time, I and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s from Santa Maria!’”
Williams contacted Gregg, and they began corresponding via e-mail about scoring a new version of “Lightning Storm Santa Maria.” The resulting video is now available on Gregg’s YouTube page.
“I emulate all sounds,” Williams said, “if you want something that sounds like Green Day or the Doobie Brothers—not using exactly the same chords and instrumentation, but just ‘it kind of feels like such-and-such a song.’”
As a musician, Williams explained how he felt about the WMG vs. YouTube issue with an involved metaphor.
“Let’s say you made really nice wicker baskets, and someone figured out a way to copy them and have them instantly in their store,” he said. “‘Wait a second—that’s my wicker basket! What are you doin’ with my wicker basket?’”
He then added this caveat: “While I agree that it would be sad for somebody who had a song that they worked hard on to only sell 30,000 copies, and then somehow 3 million people wind up having copies, the music industry is going to have to embrace the technology.”
Williams observed that the world of music is moving away from stars and major companies in metropolitan areas, and toward smaller communities.
“For the small-town musician,” he said, “the opportunities are going to grow. … I’m hoping that, because of copyright issue, there will be more work for locals.” m
Contact freelancer Brent Parker through the executive editor at rmiller@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 5, 2009.