Google-owned video-sharing phenomenon YouTube has announced that it has reached an agreement with music rights collection society PRS for Music, allowing for premium music content to return to its UK site.
In March 2009, YouTube UK removed thousands of music videos from its site after failing to reach a deal with PRS for Music, who collects royalties for performers. Although both parties have been reluctant to reveal amounts, YouTube has confirmed that a deal which back dates to January 2009 and lasts until June 2012 has been agreed for an undisclosed lump sum.
Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK community manager, commented on the agreement with the following statement:
"For the past several months, YouTube users in the UK have been restricted from viewing premium music videos on the site as we worked to negotiate an agreement with the leading music rights collection society in the UK, the PRS for Music. We're happy to announce today that we have reached a deal with the PRS for Music and so premium music is returning to YouTube in the UK. Both the PRS for Music and YouTube have worked hard to produce a deal that is a good for everyone involved, including the YouTube community, music fans, the record labels, YouTube, and the songwriters and composers the PRS for Music represents."
Thousands of music videos are expected to return to the service in the coming days, with YouTube adding that it will celebrate the occasion with a series of guest editorships from popular artists.
