YouTube and Partners Miss Out on Boyle Bonanza

By Miguel Helft
YouTube Susan Boyle during her appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent”.

Susan Boyle, the latest overnight YouTube sensation, may well end up the recipient of a bonanza from her new status as unlikely heroine.

But for now, her dizzying YouTube success has been a missed opportunity to cash in. A disagreement between YouTube and Britain’s ITV, which owns the “Britain’s Got Talent” program where Ms. Boyle appeared, has kept the YouTube clips of Ms. Boyle’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” free of ads.

The Times of London published what it called a “crude estimate” suggesting that the parties involved, namely YouTube, Simon Cowell and ITV, have left $1.87 million on the table. That’s based on 75 million streams of the various clips of Ms. Boyle, which the newspaper estimated could get $20 to $35 for every 1,000 views in the United States and more than that in Britain.

A YouTube spokesman declined to comment on the estimates, but said that the various clips of Ms. Boyle, including those uploaded by users, had now topped 100 million views.

With a recording contract on the way, and no doubt other opportunities to monetize the Boyle phenomenon, the failure to cash in on the YouTube clips may not mean much in the long term. But it is the latest sign that the tension between new and old media companies is keeping both sides from profiting to the fullest extent possible from their supersize Internet audiences.

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Darnell April 23, 2009 · 6:05 pm

Horror – you mean I won’t have an annoying ad overlaying what I want to watch? Can we arrange more disputes?

Walter G April 23, 2009 · 7:28 pm

Just enjoy it. Awesome performance.

Eliza April 23, 2009 · 8:13 pm

Interestingly, Ms Boyle would not have seen a cent of the money. Perhaps it’s for the best that Simon Cowell hasn’t yet made $1.87 million off of her.

semper April 23, 2009 · 8:42 pm

If you start charging for Youtube, people like me will stop watching. It’s supposed to be free. That’s why we like it and use it. What, you crazy?

WinManCan April 23, 2009 · 8:55 pm

What a true shame. A multi-billion dollar company not able to make even more. Crying crocodile tears for the executives who will be losing bonus money

Ms. Boyle would not get one penny from it from the sale of the advert. so why should someone make money off of her performance. True exploitation. Capitalism at its finest. Nothing for the worker more for the Corp.

Doug Alexander April 23, 2009 · 8:58 pm

Super-seized? I’m pretty sure I’m not seizing anything, super-ly or otherwise. Much like the Susan Boyle phenomenon, however, I am super-sized.

Robin April 23, 2009 · 9:22 pm

more evidence (as if more were needed) that the current impenetrable patty-field we know as copyright law harms *all* the players: creators, middlemen, and distributors.

and yes, i advocate solutions that respect and reward artistic creators and consumers, and leave the current crop of middlemen in the dust-bin of history.

//www.internetevolution.com/document.asp?doc_id=175415

wonderful background reading.

Souza April 24, 2009 · 11:06 am

Eliza (3) and WinManCan (5) said Ms. Boyle wouldn’t get any of the money from the ads, only people supposedly “exploiting” her would.

But those people are actually the ones who gave her the chance to become internationally famous. If it weren’t for them, nobody would’ve heard about her. She herself said it on he stage, “I’ve never been given the chance before”. Now she can make millions of dollars recording albums and performing at concerts around the world. It’s only fair that the show gets some money too.

Diana April 24, 2009 · 12:53 pm

The problem is that the movie and music industry are dinosaurs – they are desperately clinging to their old model of doing business, which never took into account the current technical climate and innovations of today.

Instead of vigorously fighting all innovations, they should be entering into partnerships with content providers so they can make money. The days of people lugging around piles of CDs and DVDs is over, and the industry should realize that.

Their obstinate stance only encourages piracy, by giving people no choice to view or listen to content they way they prefer.

Eliza April 24, 2009 · 12:56 pm

Souza,

I agree that she would be no where without YouTube and Cowell, but don’t you you think she would deserve a cut of the money they’d make off of her?

I would imagine that Cowell and his show have some sort of contract in place guaranteeing them part of whatever she makes from record contracts and TV appearances– never mind the increase in viewers (and ad sales) for show will have this season.

Mike G April 24, 2009 · 1:20 pm

I’m surprised an American network hasn’t tried to grabbed the rights to air Britain’s Got Talent in the US? It would seem like a perfect fit for a network like Bravo or BBC America.

Blue World Pools April 24, 2009 · 4:23 pm

Susan Boyle is such a phenomenon because it’s wouldn’t occur to anyone she was commercial. Till she opened her mouth of course. Now everybody in show business is after her because she can bring them lot’s of green, increase ratings, etc. The outcome: in a couple of month everything genuine, natural, appealing we’ve seen in this lady will vanish. They will make her sign some contract which will make the party involved a bunch of money, but her every step will be under control and scrutiny. Don’t change, Susan, stay true to yourself!

Vernon Brand April 25, 2009 · 1:12 pm

Susan Boyle could sell out a theatre without all the ‘hangers on”. They need her more than she needs them. I would certainly have her appear on any show that I am connected with.
Keep up the good work Susan.

chris Anthony April 25, 2009 · 10:31 pm

while it seems instinctual to brand the networks, YouTube et. al. as evil, or exploitative, I have to agree with others here that those companies have provided the platform. Now that Susan has achieved fame, she will certainly benefit from it financially, and she should. But I can’t see anything wrong with the production company that put her on TV in the first place reaping financial reward either.
It seems as if, sometimes, we get caught up in the notion that since the artist is an ‘artist’, and the company is a ‘company’ that the companies motivations are somehow dark and immoral. Sure, there’s truth to that, but musicians should be happy for the platform Idol/Talent etc. has created, even if I think most of it is campy and kitch…

Pink April 27, 2009 · 7:03 am

well, whatever it goes. You know, there is an old say in China Don’t expect an un-crafty businessman ever. I trust those old wise.