Report: Major Labels Consider Pulling Content From YouTube

According to a New York Post report, the three major U.S. record labels -- Universal, Sony and Warner -- are exploring the possibility of yanking their content from YouTube.

Quoting "numerous sources," the Post says the labels are watching the massive growth of mobile viewing on YouTube while also finding the sums paid out by the site relatively paltry.

"They are fed up with the lack of monetization," a "label source" told the Post. "When you look at how music is monetized from lowest to highest, YouTube is at the bottom."

The burbling dissatisfaction the Post has unearthed comes as YouTube reports a spike in mobile viewing. Time spent viewing YouTube videos has doubled last year, and overall viewing is up 60 percent year over year.

Many record labels, major and indie, have lobbied against free services because of the relatively low income generated by free, ad-supporting viewing. On top of that, labels told the Post they're frustrated YouTube is keeping them in the dark over how much YouTube views of their videos are actually generating.

"They are one of the worst partners, and it’s a great source of frustration," said another of the Post's anonymous sources.

YouTube is the largest music streaming service in the world, with roughly a billion monthly users. The company does have plans to launch a subscription-centered streaming service, Music Key, though details on how that service will operate remain murky.