One of the tricks many podcast producers use to build an audience is to deliver their shows through multiple outlets like YouTube, MetaCafe and Mevio. By allowing access to their shows in more places, there is an increased chance that people will see their shows, like them, and find their way back to the producers website to subscribe. Popular video distribution site TubeMogul even provides a way for producers to upload their content to more than 25 additional sites! However, it seems that there is at least one sour-puss now calling foul on independent producers uploading videos with advertisements in them to their site: YouTube.com
According to a few certain sources out there, top content producers on the YouTube site have been receiving notices “reminding” them that it is a violation of the TOS to put commercials into their uploaded content.
A quote from the Media Week Story:
“We have a policy, and if we discover they are embedding stuff we will definitely let them know,” said Tom Pickett, YouTube’s director of online sales and operations. “We have tried to take a more hands-on approach to see if we can facilitate deals. But they shouldn’t be fearful of getting booted off the site.”
I don’t see this effecting a lot of podcasters out there (unless you are getting tons of views on YouTube and they are featuring you on the site someplace already), but what is the reaction in general to this? Please, comment below! Maybe this is just a sign of the times… I guess everyone has to do their best to try and make that money!
More: Read what Read Write Web has to say about YouTube and their publishers NOT advertising. You can also read more in the YouTubes terms of service. Finally, Podcasting News had a good take on it all too.