A Few Thoughts On the Youtube Partnership Program

A few years ago, when Youtube opened it's Partnership Program, I thought it might be interesting to see if it would afford a real opportunity for artists to supplement their income.... Then I began to notice how many people, who obviously did not own the copyright to the content they were posting, were allowed to sell advertising alongside their videos. Sometimes I would even see a disclaimer "I do not own the copyright to this video, I am only posting it for entertainment purposes" in the description, and yet, there it is: a fifteen second lead-in ad. So I asked myself: Why would YouTube, along with these big media companies that own this content, allow this to happen?

The answer that occurs to me is that they aren't really paying for these ads at all. Or if they are, only a tiny sliver is going to the channel user, and the majority goes to some joint fund shared by YouTube and a conglomerate of media companies.

It really is a stroke of genius if you think about it. Can't stop this tidal wave of copyright infringement? Use it. Let the Pirates think they're gaming the system... Some guy in his Mother's basement  thinks he's going to scam a buck or two by uploading a scene from Avengers? No Chad. Someone's making money off of your "efforts", but it ain't you.

Of course, the problem with this strategy is that everyone gets the same treatment, whether its a video they spent hundreds of hours to make or something they recorded off their T.V. So as an artist who works hard and is trying to find a way to earn a living at this that isn't bullshit, I am declining this ridiculous opportunity. And to any other artists out there thinking of, or currently involved in Youtube's Partnership Program, I say Don't Do It. You'll look more honest that way.