YouTube, EMI strike content deal

YouTube and EMI on Thursday announced a deal that will see the music label's content legally available on the web video site. Visitors to the page would have the option of watching officially-sanctioned music videos, but would also have permission to clip segments of videos to blend them as part of their own unofficial projects. The agreement includes higher-profile artists such as Coldplay and represents the first time that all four major music labels have explitictly given approval to using their material online, according to YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley.

Monetary terms for the deal were left out of the announcement, though both companies said that EMI's artists would be paid individually based on their viewership. Sony-BMG, Universal, and Warner had already been in place as of last year but each earned a small share in YouTube as part of their negotiations.

The change may be especially beneficial for Apple, whose Apple TV hub will gain YouTube support in June and will, by extension, also gain complete access to the four major music labels' web video library by the time the entire YouTube catalog is converted in the fall. Apple has also just recently finalized the launch of its iTunes Plus DRM-free tracks, which are currently limited only to EMI musicians.