Fair Play for Creators

I welcome any initiative that helps to bring a sensible balance between new technology and the needs of the content creators.

We all need to stick together, count me in.

Fair play with fair pay.

Seems a childish gesture by Google. Hope they have the sense to "talk about things", and stop being so petty.

I'm right behind you on this. Keep up the great work.

Google would be the first to complain if people (such as hackers) put up advertising on their website without paying for it - play fair google, you're acting like a school yard bully!

Give the people what they want. GREAT MUSIC Give songwriters/composers what they deserve. Royalties.

We have the right to our legitimate source of income and not to be held to ransom by you tube or any other similar site, this would not happen in any other profession!

Thanks for being there and taking this on, otherwise we'll be completely undervalued.(and we're already fighting that one on so many other levels).

Surely all we are looking for is a fairness Give us cleverness, renounce greed, bandits and thieves will vanish.

It would appear that throughout history others have sought, and in the main succeeded, to control the creatives. Without artists of whatever discipline TV, Radio, Radio, Cinema, Theatre, Libraries and Galleries would cease to exist. Our world's history is charted much more by artistic achievement than economic, industrial or conflict.

We must stick together!

I'm forever seeing and hearing of several of the songs that I have co-written being played on youtube and I feel that if people drive pleasure from this music, surely we should get something for it... it only seems fair in light of the money that Google makes as profit within its field of activity, that some of it should go to the very same people who helped to make it such a popular a tool.

Give writers and creators their fair dues Google! Or we'll lose faith in you...

Yup, they should pay up!

Full support from me.

As an up-and-coming artist I rely heavily on income from online music streaming. As the internet becomes more and more widely available everywhere people go, with wi-fi for laptops and internet mobile phones, gradually people will stop buying music altogether as they can listen to anything they want whenever they want by streaming and so the only way songwriters and artists will find revenue for their recordings is through royalties from streaming. This isn't just about supporting the larger music industry from collapsing but it's about providing musicians with a simple livelihood so they can afford to continue to create and provide music that everybody loves and enjoys. It will be the listener that loses out in the end!

I don't think it's unfair that I should want to be paid for something that has taken me years of effort to create just because that thing is not a physical object which can be put in a sack and ran down the street with in order to steal it. Our music helps Google to make billions of dollars of profit which they seem to think they should be allowed to make using stolen material. As a young songwriter every penny helps me to spend more time writing and improving my music, it's very frustrating when something you feel so passionate about is regarded as worthless by such a huge company.

Well done;thank you very much for your continuing negotiations. I have already found two of my recorded works on Youtube in several different versions.

I'm an unpublished writer, poet from bury St Edmunds who supports the cause.

I pledge my support.

It is many years since I was an active writer, so my criticisms of internet pirates like Google are not voiced in the hope of making any money. I am disgusted by wealthy, greedy companies like Google, who cynically peddle spurious concepts under the banner of "the freedom of the internet" with the clear intention of making themselves even richer by stealing other people's property (songs, videos, films and other works of art). Not a lot seems to have changed in 15 years or so. The stupidity is that, if the internet pirates get their way, the revenue streams (from books, records, videos and films) which have financed the development of talent and works of art throughout the 20th Century will disappear - along with the talent and works of art. Then, the Internet service pirate will have nothing to pirate or peddle in order to attract paying customers.

I energetically support the wonderful work of the PRS for Music in support of composers. Without composers there would be no music and it is only fair that they earn a living like anyone else. Without composers YouTube would be a dreary, soundless bore. Without fair financial returns for their music, composers will have to turn to other work for survival.

The YouTube accountings are truly worse than no accountings; being nothing more than a regular reminder of the derisory share alloted to the creators for usage. There are few songwriters who would/will even notice if Youtube pulls any plugs. Something about 'Horses and Carts' springs to mind. Ironically therefore, surely the present pittance returned puts us in a strong position. Nevermind Youtube,... why aren't we calling the shots?

It is unfair and things DO need to change. The future of the industry is dependent on the 'traditional' models to be stored away and new ones to be made. Let's not let greed get the better of us. You have my support.

Another example of corporate exploitation of creative people. Well done PRS for Music for taking this stand.

In this case and from what's known of their business model, Google have made assumptions that have far reaching and negative consequences for creative people that have helped drive and deliver their audience. If they and others have their way, the quality of content can only go downhill and 'real' talent, originality and invention will be lost.

Fair is fair, YouTube and Google rely on advertising revenue... that revenue is paid by advertisers as a result of the hits that are generated by the content therin. It's only fair that some of that revenue is passed on to those who create the content.

It’s a tough enough world out there for writers. Music is the soundtrack of peoples lives - it is every avenue of human endeavour - making the day go a little faster, putting a smile on peoples faces, uplifting the soul. Music is the writers gift to the world. All they ask in return is to be treated fairly?

Good work

Thanks for all the good work you are doing to protect us.

Looks like Google are guilty of corporate greed, on the bandwagon of bankers greed, look where that has got us, is there an alternative? If not why don’t we create one, we’ve got this far without Google.....

There is a misconception that Google/YouTube are a couple of studenty types sitting around their bedsit doing all of this for fun and that PRS for Music/the music business are 'the suits' in this disagreement. The truth is that PRS for Music is a non-profit making venture most of who's members make less than £5000 a year from it, while Google made billions of dollars profit last year and seem reluctant to give up any of it, regardless of whether it is fair or not. We need to change the public perception of what is happening, get organised and Fight The Power.

Of course we should be remunerated fairly for use of our works, whatever the amount. The situation wouldn't be tolerated in any other industry - just try getting a plumber to fix a leak for nothing! Unfortunately creators seem to be constantly battling with the notion that our creations should be free - how dare we expect to be paid for the result of what the public perceive as an enjoyable endeavor?!

The value of a composers work must be respected or the quality of good original music will decline and we will have lost an art form that has always inspired people access the world in countless ways and has helped people deal with material and emotional times of difficulty through relating to the music and lyric content.

Like all professional people, composers are paid for their work. I have made my living in my chosen profession, music, for many years - it is not my hobby - it is my professional career and my livelihood.

Firstly I would like to thank everyone who is supporting the Fair Play for Creators campaign and for all comments posted. My name is David Rudden I am a songwriter and have been for 20 years I have written for artists from Lil Flip to Mya I also co/wrote "Nuttin' But Love" performed by Heavy D and the Boyz which sold almost 3,000,000 and also is the special Directors feature from the billion dollar trilogy of "Rush Hour" movies and Dvd's! not only have not received any royalties from YouTube "I can't even see the video or embed it anymore! I am a straight and fair guy as are most musicians and would like to see this resolved! I also agree with Paul Gambaccini that radio pay for plays therefore YouTube should do similar and pay for internet transmissions? David Ruden, songwriter Youtube/Google reported a profit over the past ear of some 2/3 billion. Without the music content, the artists and the writers how much would they lose? One assumes their profit would be less. It makes sense therefore that they recognise this and share the rewards with the creative community. It also time for some enterprising soles to see the hole in the market that Youtube/Google would leave and fulfil the demand. it is time for the creative bodies to stand firm against the bullying tactics of YouTube/Google. pay for play takes on a whole new meaning.

I fully support PRS for Music and their campaign Fair Play for Creators. We not only need to stand up for this, but educate people so they can understand the hard work and time that goes into creating our works often without any upfront payment. Therefore the only way to receive payment is through the royalities system. The widespread growth of downloading, mis-use of copyright music and concept of 'free' music has devalued the work so many of us do, and the user (or abuser) of this is not aware of the damage done to the creator through loss of income and possibly even livelihood. We need to spread the message clearly, concisely and patiently to those not au fait with our world why this devaluation is ultimately a threat to their enjoyment and access to good music. Thank you PRS for Music for helping us unite to make this stand.