This year’s MTV Video Music Awards are turning into a big headache for the network’s parent, Viacom — and, possibly, for music fans, too.
That’s because many of the videos up for awards, including works by Lady Gaga and Eminem, will not be streamed on MTV’s Web site because of a row between the music network and the artists’ label, Universal Music Group, about who can sell the advertising around the videos when they’re shown online.
Universal is behind the music industry’s online destination, Vevo, which is competing with MTV.com and other Viacom music sites to be a destination for music lovers.
Universal yanked the rights to all of its artists’ videos from MTV.com and related Viacom sites, telling them that Vevo would be taking over Universal’s expiring contract and, in the process, conducting the ad sales.
Previously, MTV sold the ads against online music videos and had split the revenue with music companies.
Sony Music Entertainment, EMI and Abu Dhabi Media Company also own minority stakes in Vevo. Separately, Warner Music is partnered with MTV which represents the label’s videos online.
Lady Gaga won a record 13 nominations for her unusual video creations, which are a huge draw on the Web. Her absence from MTV.com will be a huge miss if the dispute isn’t resolved. MTV.com is currently offering up videos of her live performances instead.
The dispute, which came to a head last week, is one of the first major stands taken by Lucian Grainge, new co-CEO of Universal, known for his hardball negotiating tactics.
An MTV spokeswoman did not return calls.
A spokesman for Universal Music Group declined comment.
Total unique visitors to Vevo, which gets most of its traffic from Google’s YouTube, was 45 million for June, while MTV was at 14 million unique.
Vevo executives are rubbing their hands at the ironic prospect of gaining a traffic boost thanks to the massive free promotion of its videos on MTV.