Comment on YouTube will start charging to see music videos with no ads

YouTube is responsible for making free videos an integral part of the Internet, but its anticipated move into charging users to see videos without advertisements is drawing opposition from some of the network's music partners. The most vocal opponents are independent music labels, who say they are being forced to agree to unfavorable terms or risk making no money from YouTube at all. YouTube wouldn't disclose details of the subscription plan, but Bengloff said users would be asked to pay a fee to see music videos without ads. Getting people to sign up for subscriptions can also be helpful to YouTube's parent company, Google, which can store credit card numbers and make it easier for people to buy other Google products and services, he said. Financial paybackAs YouTube has become more popular, major music labels have felt that they should be getting a greater financial payback from YouTube based on the content they provide, said Mark Mulligan, an analyst with MIDiA Research. Paul Springer, Rhapsody's senior vice president and chief product officer, said he believes YouTube has its work cut out, trying to persuade users to pay for subscriptions, when it has built its brand around free video.