Universal Angry At MySpace, YouTube

Universal Music Group CEO Doug Morris called the two media sharing websites "copyright infringers" and hinted at legal action against them. YouTube has until the end of September to appease Morris and company...

reported how negotiations have not progressed well between those two sides. An insider close to the talks made these claims in the report. The rhetoric has begun to heat up, according to the story: "We believe these new businesses are copyright infringers and owe us tens of millions of dollars," Morris told investors Wednesday at a conference in Pasadena. "How we deal with these companies will be revealed shortly," he said. Talks with News Corp, the parent of MySpace, are moving along. While Morris may be spoiling for a fight with YouTube, a startup company, he may not have the same eagerness to push as hard against Fox Interactive Media head Ross Levinsohn. Unlike other labels that view social networking sites, and the exposure they provide, as promotional outlets, Morris and Universal consider them another source of potential licensing revenue. The report noted Universal already demands and receives payment from AOL and Yahoo for playing videos from Universal's stable of artists. Mashable blogger One has to hope that this is yet another crack in the monolithic dominance of the music labels in the recording industry. For example, Aprs moi, le dluge, perhaps. Add to Del.icio.us | Digg | Yahoo! My Web | Furl Bookmark Murdok: David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.