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Digital
Warner launches YouTube channel, VEVO allies with Facebook on sign ups
By CMU Editorial | Published on Friday 2 March 2012
Warner Music has announced it will launch its own YouTube channel to be called The Warner Sound, which will offer “exclusive access to superstars, celebrities and breaking talent” – so expect interviews, live sessions and behind-the-scenes footage as well as music videos.
Warner, of course, has so far chosen to stay outside the VEVO venture, the Sony/Universal-owned YouTube-powered music video service, which offers official pop promos plus other video content from its partner labels, which include EMI as well as its owners.
VEVO enables the labels to sell advertising around its content directly, rather than relying on YouTube’s ad sales division, based on the idea that official content should demand higher ad rates when separated from user-generated videos.
Warner chose to take more control over the advertising shown within its existing YouTube channels rather than joining the VEVO party, and the latest partnership with the video site is an extension of that, enabling the mini-major to offer and earn off content other than straight pop promos. The new channel will be headed up by former MTV news man Ocean MacAdams.
Talking of VEVO, it followed Spotify’s lead this week by forcing people who sign up to the video site to do so using their Facebook account. VEVO has been known to be in discussions about having a closer relationship with Facebook for some time, leading some to speculate they might ultimately split off from YouTube and launch an all-embracing partnership with the social network.
Though much of VEVO’s traffic comes via YouTube still and, while Facebook also has a massive audience at its disposal, YouTube remains the go-to place for video content, arguably making it a better match for the VEVO service.
