Indie music labels threaten video boycott on MTV Europe

LONDON, UK (White Stripes Fans Website) - Indie record labels are in a big fight with MTV Europe, and they're threatening to pull some of their hottest bands from the network if contract negotiations aren't settled satisfactorily. The plug could be pulled as early as next week on the video channel, which means MTV Europe can wave bye-bye to the White Stripes, the Strokes, and Travis, among others unless they?re willing to pony up. MTV's new royalty rates are the issue, and over 300 indie labels are involved in the fight for more money.

Says Catherine Bell, general manager of business affairs for Chrysalis Music Group, "MTV would not exist without music, and yet it doesn?t recognize the very people that create it. They are undermining British and European creativity by not giving fair recompense for artists' writing".

In a response to a letter from the labels threatening to boycott, Brent Hansen, chief executive of MTV Networks Europe had this to say: "In the interests of supporting the issues that the indies have raised and in a genuine effort to reach a resolution, we have decided to return to the negotiating table. This is not just about the money - our invaluable relationships with the independent music community dictates that this is the right course. Our goal, as always, is to ensure that all good music, including independent artists and repertoire, retain their unique position on our network."