Connected World Media

First it was YouTube vs. Viacom in a battle that is still going to this day. Now Warner Music enters the ring, insisting that any music from Warner artists be muted from YouTube clips or, in any cases, the clips have been removed altogether. This includes informal performances by kids on their personal keyboards. Even humming the wrong tune could get you in trouble these days. As far as I know I can still think about a Warners artist while recording a video on YouTube

As you would expect, unless you are Warners which I guess just doesn’t know or doesn’t care, there has been a huge outcry and many videos produced in protest. Maybe I missed it, but contiually alienating and pissing off your customers is something I didn’t get in any of my college business classes. YouTube has indicated in the past that it would like to do deals with major content providors to clear up these copyright issues, but the old media dons hold out for unreasonable demands.

It continues to shock me how the music industry contiues to self mutilate itself trying to enforce it’s antiquated business model. They killed Napster and thought they had won, but it was never about Napster. It’s so much bigger than that. For better or for worse it’s a new connected world order. The old rules don’t apply. Obama just got elected President; greed is out. Again I quote Princess Leia from Star Wars addressing Governor Tarkin. “The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”