Estonian authors to make money on YouTube

Photo: Arno Saar / Õhtuleht

At the beginning of March, Estonian Authors’ Society (EAÜ) entered into a contract with the YouTube video environment owned by Internet giant Google, pursuant to which Estonian authors stand to receive a certain percentage of YouTube advertisement revenue in Estonia via EAÜ.

According to EAÜ board member Mario Kivistik, it’s not totally clear what kinds of sums we are talking about; even so, prior experience would lead us to think that the money will surely be smaller than TV and radio fees. Of the amount paid by Google, EAÜ will keep 10 per cent. The remaining 90 percent will be distributed among authors on basis of amounts of clicks.

«Usually, the top hundred popular tunes get 80 percent of the money, from there comes a drop and the sum may sink to tenths and hundredths of cents,» predicted the man.

EAÜ launched into talks with YouTube four years ago; as already then general ads were displayed with videos by Estonian authors, of the revenue of which – thinks Mr Mivistik – the group ought to have paid a share to EAÜ.

«We are happy the legal solution has been achieved; the contracts have been signed, and for a week already, as YouTube videos are being displayed, ads targeting Estonia are being shown,» explained the EAÜ board member.

EAÜ intends to make payments once a quarter. At the beginning, processing massive data and sorting out information will take its time. Therefore, Mr Kivistik says the initial fees might appear on bank accounts of authors in September.