The Artists' Coalition Speaks Out on YouTube

As Viacom and Google wage war in the courtroom over YouTube, we ask that they each stop to consider the true source of their respective fortunes. At the end of the day, it's about content. Without it, Viacom would have nothing to sell through its massive distribution channels. Google would have nothing to search, and more importantly in this context, nothing to play on its most intriguing and controversial acquisition—YouTube.

Where does this content come from? Simple. The artists.

The controversy, at its core, is about our creations and performances. As such, one would think we'd have a large financial stake in the outcome. However, this is not the case. The race to bring audiovisual content to the internet has left us behind and overlooked our role in creating value.

The large media companies, like Viacom, place our works online and pay us lower royalty rates—if at all—claiming that internet broadcasting is promotional. To make matters worse, YouTube pays us nothing unless it is through a license deal with a major media company—a deal in which we would likely not fully participate.

Importantly, YouTube creates new opportunities for young artists. It allows them to display their own creations online to a global audience without the financial backing and distribution power of record labels and film studios. Let's not forget the voice it has given to our striking writers, as they fight for their fair share of online revenues. YouTube may even support business models for direct-to-online productions.

Some users have begun to create their own "art" by remixing and modifying ours works, with many showing our works in an unsavory light. Unauthorized mashups and remixes, despite their popularity, take away our ability to control the integrity of our creations. Some argue these represent a new art form; we hold that they are theft and distortion of our works.

YouTube will always have some degree of infringing material. As such, it has an obligation to give portions of its profits back to the artist community. While not a perfect solution, it would be a great first step.