in the Sun today... those of us who wrote and recorded hit songs get virtually nothing in royalties but...

coming from an earlier generation than Pete (well, we're the same age but I was lucky enough to start having hits 20 years before he did - even before he worked under my brother Andy), I understand that times have changed so radically. PRS should be working out new ways of getting royalties for writers (I still get a hefty cheque every year, as does Pete).

You Tube, iTunes and the new technology has not properly been dealt with.

I'm more than happy to see the likes of YouTube go under, since it was formulated as an illegal model using copyright content with no royalties paid. It's only because they were forced to do so that they had to, and now they're whinging about it...greedy little pricks...

I see very little chance of YouTube going under.

We are now facing a HUGE problem with Google. Who are Google? No, seriously, who are they? Who runs it? Who is making profits out of it?

Google seem to be becoming a megalomaniac corporation. They own Blogger AND YouTube, all of which are generating endless profits. They are reaping in the money but they are also tyrannical, calling all the shots and thinking it can write the laws. They're making a killing out of YouTube but of course they don't want to pay out what they owe, just keep the money for themselves.

It has been suggested in this economic crisis there is a huge black hole somewhere where money is vanishing. Is that black hole Google perhaps? The damage Google have caused and are inflicting upon the entire entertainment industry is frightening. What I want to know is where is all that money going?

You see, Google are hellbent on knowing EVERYTHING about us. Look at their Google maps... type in a postcode and there's your home. It has grossly violated many privacy issues. Google keep installing trackers all over the net reporting what YOU are doing.

Google are FACELESS. They are stupendously wealthy. They want to know all about us, but don't want us to know about THEM. Why? What are they hiding?

It is about time we started asking some serious questions about Google. I have a feeling they contain some answers that may help explain a lot of things...

Where is BR when we need him?

good post, Elliott.

This is the Napster argument all over again. If someone goes to Youtube to hear a 30 year old hit, then they go there as a destination. They love the song and want to hear it. They can't save it. Then after checking it out they can go to Itunes and pay to put it on their Ipod.

How is this hurting us? If anything its re-awakening out desire to buy these songs again, and in digital format. I'm a songwriter and producer and of course I want to get paid. If Pete wants bigger royalty checks from his eighties hits, Youtube is only going to help that, and taking down the videos is not.

Its certainly more complex than this, but you get where I'm coming from.

Shutting down Youtube is not going to happen first of all, and attempting to do it is the same argument that has the majors on the verge of collapse in the first place

They are not buying the stuff. My son has a download gizmo and just grabs the stuff he likes for his iPod. He's certainly discovering lots of music, though.

Exactly. GG, I don't think you realise how easy it is to grab an audio stream.

I disagree with your shutting down YouTube point. I am sick of millionaire nerd twats trampling over present copyright law for their own financial gain whilst pitching the music industry as the enemy in all of this.

It's also interesting to see the anti-p2p laws coming into effect soon - France and Norway this year, the UK in 2011. About time this happened. And to anything who whinges about freedom and the internet - this has to be done to save our bloody industry.

Funny to hear the record labels crying now. How many artists have been trampled on by their practices ?

Glass Houses Stones ! Hmmm

Record labels are a necessary evil. They invest money into acts. Are you? Thought not.

I invest a great deal of my own money in the acts I produce, and have for quite some time. More than I care to talk about. The fact is record labels no longer invest in acts.

We have all yet to see any major label or major independent bring an act from zero to international stardom, in the current climate, without a nationally broadcast reality show being the driver.

When this happens, if it ever does, I can stop using my own money to look for and develop, brilliant, young sustainable talent.

actually I aven't had any problems watching any music yet on youtube.

Pete Waterman is quite wrong. wrote:
Funny to hear the record labels crying now. How many artists have been trampled on by their practices ?

Glass Houses Stones ! Hmmm
I'm not a label and I can feel the difference (negative). I think you might want to read up about the music business before wading in with attitude. It's more complex than you apparently think. We're not just talking about label royalties, the discussion is more about performance rights, which the labels don't receive unless they are also the publishers - which is far from always being the case. And the publishers are in the same boat as the unsigned and indie acts anyway, getting a homeopathic dose of zilch.