YouTube is beginning the process of removing music videos sourced from the UK following failed dealings with their RIAA equivalent, the PRS. While YouTube has held a license from the group in the past for serving music video content from the UK, that license has expired. The cost for a new license, Google says, is simply too much and prohibits them from renewing it. As a result, the two groups have stopped talking and YouTube is pulling videos that were being hosted through the license.
A second complaint Google had was a lack of transparency, such as the PRS not disclosing what exact content is even included in the license, making it difficult for Google to prevent unlicensed content from appearing. PRS is saying quite the opposite, claiming that Google is demanding to pay less despite a higher number of YouTube viewers. All in all, the only real loser is of course the YouTube user. But is premium content really what YouTube needs? After all, the site was initially pitched and grew rapidly as a service where people could submit their own videos.