Music Policy on TwitchTV?

[bkmelendez]

There seems to be a bit of confusion on what the policy for playing music in the background for a gaming channel is?

Now I was under the impression that only channel owners in the Partnership Program were not allowed to play music on stream. However, now I'm getting word that might apply to all channel owners. At least that's what I'm hearing since a gaming channel I follow on TwitchTV was recently closed for 24 hours due to DMCA on music.


Can an admin shed some light on the subject? :confused:

...and possibly inform users via a official press release because this compromises their channels.

[Ryz999]

Originally Posted by bkmelendez

There seems to be a bit of confusion on what the policy for playing music in the background for a gaming channel is?

Now I was under the impression that only channel owners in the Partnership Program were not allowed to play music on stream. However, now I'm getting word that might apply to all channel owners. At least that's what I'm hearing since a gaming channel I follow on TwitchTV was recently closed for 24 hours due to DMCA on music.


Can an admin shed some light on the subject? :confused:

...and possibly inform users via a official press release because this compromises their channels.

I'm pretty sure DMCA applies no matter what your status is as a caster on JTV or TwitchTV. I don't think being a Producer makes you exempt from their DMCA rules.

[bkmelendez]

Originally Posted by Ryz999

I'm pretty sure DMCA applies no matter what your status is as a caster on JTV or TwitchTV. I don't think being a Producer makes you exempt from their DMCA rules.

Where did I say Producers are exempt from DMCA? Read carefully what I wrote before replying. What I'm saying is that only those in the Partnership Program were issued an email to not play music while they stream games. However, there was never the same message sent to all broadcasters on TwitchTV hence the confusion over the matter. Gaming broadcasters have been playing music on their stream since JTV had a gaming section and all of sudden it's being enforced.

Then there's the whole issue of video games that already include copyright music within the game. An example is GTA IV and the radio stations while you play the game. If that's the logic then these games should not be allowed to be stream on TwitchTV/JTV. All I want is clarification and if this is indeed the case. Inform the broadcasters via email otherwise their channels and everything they've work hard for is in jeopardy when these companies file a DMCA claim.

[bgeorge]

I can't speak to anything specific about the partner program but the DMCA applies to anyone. So technically you are not allowed to broadcast what you do not own or have a licence to broadcast whether its movies, music, or even Youtube videos.

Publishers are free to remove any content that is violating their copyright at anytime. It seems like DMCA takedown for music are not very common on JTV but they still do occur.