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Pete Waterman speaks out against Google's YouTube

added: 13 Apr 2009 // by: newsdesk 

TOP songwriters stepped up their campaign against Google's YouTube video sharing site in a bid to win a better deal for their work.

The stepping of the campaign comes on the same day as PRS for Music announced that it has agreed commercial terms with the new music streaming service Spotify, which ensures that its 60.000 songwriters, composers and publishers will be fairly paid when their music is used on this new internet service.

Pete Waterman told how his massive Rick Astley hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up' had received 154 million hits on the YouTube site and he had received a cheque for just £11.

He told a special PRS For Music press conference to mark the launch of www.fairplayforcreators.com that he would receive more from the song being played on Radio Stoke than on YouTube.

Guy Chambers, who wrote the Robbie Williams hit 'Angels' said: "Google/YouTube are in effect asking songwriters to give away their songs for nothing. The longer music is available for nothing or next to nothing online, the quicker the demise of the recording industry.

"Google is manipulating the PRS for Music dispute in a deeply cynical way; to confuse the public into believing that the industry is outdated and behaving in a protectionist manner. Nothing further could be from the truth."

PRS For Music is calling for Google/YouTube to - Pay fairly for their musical works when they're used online; to appreciate that they have to pay going rates for music like everybody else; and it is unfair for the UK's creative community to subsidise a billion dolla making internet giant.

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