Google’s (GOOG) YouTube was able to get a deal with music publisher EMI to allow its music videos to be played and shared on the big user-generated video site.
According to the company in a statement to Reuters: "With this deal, all four of the world’s major music companies are now official YouTube partners," Chad Hurley, chief executive and co-founder of YouTube.
The large content companies that have not been able to cut deals with YouTube, especially Viacom (VIA) are beginning to look mighty silly. Viacom has sued YouTube for $1 billion, alleging damages because its content has been posted by YouTube users.
Viacom has cut a deal with video streaming site Joost to use it as a deliver network for the content from its film studios and networks. But, several technical websites have raised questions about whether Joost actually works properly.
YouTube still has the largest video audience online, and by a wide margin. The large studios and networks will probably catch on the way the music companies have.
But, why wait?
Douglas A. McIntyre can be reached at [email protected]. He does not own securities in companies that he writes about.