YouTube Sets Its Sights on Independent Musicans

The program targets independent artists, offering them an easy way to create their own home page, or channel, on YouTube and share in the ad revenues generated by their videos. Until now, YouTube has offered the revenue-sharing option only to artists who have contracts with record labels or who have special contracts with the video- sharing site.

“We're now opening up the program to all independent musicians," said Michele Flannery, YouTube's music manager."

For YouTube, which announced a similar program called Filmmakers Wanted in January, the effort is part of a larger push by the video site to generate more revenue and become an entertainment destination for viewers rather than just a repository for homemade cat videos.

For MySpace, competition from the world's largest search company comes at a time when the site is struggling to regain some of its former luster; News Corp.-owned MySpace once was the premier social network among musicians and their youthful audience.