Viral music videos: Illegal file sharing?

Filed in archive Analysis , Companies on March 21, 2006

Viral video venture YouTube is known for user-contributed content. It also has a presence in the music market. Music video are common on the service today, from Mashups to concert footage to captures from TV and DVDs to downloads reposted from other sites.

The major labels have not yet intervened in the area. Sharing music videos will only increase digital music demands. But the industry is driven by protecting assets, not maximizing sales. The labels could act to protect product and retail traffic, whether it's music videos being sold at iTunes or music sites and portals that stream or otherwise provide licensed downloads.