YouTube in the UK will no longer be allowed to run its popular music videos after the site failed to agree a new licensing deal with the UK's Performing Rights Society for Music, the trade body that collects music royalties, The Guardian reports.
YouTube said that after the expiry of its former deal, PRS had proposed new payment terms that would be financially prohibitive, costing more than the website makes from ads alongside the videos.
Google, which owns YouTube, is reportedly still negotiating with PRS but in the meantime, premium videos from artists on EMI, Universal, Warner and Sony BMG and some indie labels are not available on the UK site. More will be removed in the next few days.
Meanwhile Production company FremantleMedia is launching a new American Idol app for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users, Reuters says.
They will be able to get videos of the current 13 finalists in a confessional format, along with bios, pictures, news and other behind-the-scenes content from the reigning TV ratings leader, apparently.
For a once-only payment of $1.99 charge, the application will be updated for users on a weekly basis for the rest of this season with a total of 78 videos available between now and the finale. The application will also let fans test their talent-spotting power by enabling them to predict and then track which contestants stay and which go, Reuters reports.