In a sort of "Can't beat them. join them" move the Python people are making high quality clips officially available on YouTube.

They're including a link to Amazon so you can buy the physical product and hoping the "long tail" effect will bring some sales in.

In nothing else they have nothing to lose

Linky to MP channel and their view on it all

Top of the Pops should do the same.

JK2006 wrote:
Top of the Pops should do the same.
Unfortunately they would run into copyright issues - they have rights for the recording of the performance but not the rights for the song.

And I'm not convinced they have the rights to the performance either Zoo; I've examined my contracts closely and it is, to say the least, moot.

They rebroadcast for TotP 2, would they have to renegotiate for that or is it covered by your contract?

I assume they pay a repeat fee too which if put on YouTube would make the whole thing prohibitively costly and it would be out of character for the Majors to waive it in the interests of the longer term - perhaps exploiting the back-catalogue potential mentioned by a poster a little while ago.

In some ways it's a pity the BBC didn't have the music business clause for "Things that are yet to be invented"

Ah, some of them did have a similar clause (that is their position) but the wording is dodgy.