Video-sharing site YouTube terminated its Content Hosting Agreement with local media corporation Yeah1 Group (YEG) today, April 1, the local media reported.
YGC released a statement on March 3, saying that YouTube would cut ties with Yeah1’s subsidiaries and associates by the end of March, including Thailand-based SpringMe Pte Ltd, a multichannel network.
In a statement to Yeah1, YouTube claimed that SpringMe, in which Yeah1 holds a 16.5% stake, had repeatedly violated YouTube’s policies in selecting and managing channels.
Consequently, Yeah1 had to take over the shared responsibilities.
YouTube and the media firm had to end their entire agreement following the failure of one month of negotiations to address the issue.
A Yeah1 representative told Thanh Nien newspaper that the Content Hosting Agreement termination took effect from March 31. The firm has prepared for the termination and made essential adjustments to focus on developing its own channels and content on the YouTube platform.
YouTube’s termination of the agreement is reportedly the most concrete step ever taken with a local firm over policy violations.
To date, other businesses of the media group still remain operational.
Aside from its operations on YouTube, the local media firm is currently the only partner of Google in Vietnam in terms of running Google AdSense-based business activities. Also, Yeah1 is the owner and operator of four local channels, a movie producer and distributor and a marketing content creator.
Multichannel networks are third-party service providers that affiliate with various YouTube channels to offer services that may include audience development, content programming, creator collaborations, digital rights management and sales, according to YouTube.