[UPDATE] Foxtel-Owned Music Channels Ban Universal And EMI Music Videos

Foxtel and all its Foxtel-owned music channels have ceased broadcasting all music videos by major label Universal Music, due to an ongoing programming dispute. 

Among Foxtel's music channels are Channel V, V Hits, CMC, Max and Smooth, all refusing to play pop music's biggest stars at the moment, including Taylor Swift, Drake, Justin Bieber, 5 Seconds Of Summer and more, as The Music Network reports.

Universal Music and EMI Music's artists currently take up seven of the top ten artists on this week's ARIA Singles Charts, with songs like Sorry by Justin Bieber, The Hills by The Weeknd and Drake's Hotline Bling all no longer broadcast on the channels. Sony Music continues to be broadcasted on Foxtel's channels, now accounting for about 75% of the most played songs in the last fortnight.

It is suggested that the disputes are regarding artist royalty payments and related commercial terms — it has also not been confirmed whether Foxtel has banned the music videos or if Universal Music has refused to have them broadcasted.

[UPDATE]

A Foxtel spokesperson reached out to The Music to confirm the negotiations between themselves and Universal Music, stating, "Foxtel has been in negotiations with Universal Music for some weeks to resolve a commercially viable agreement to continue to showcase Universal Music artists and music on our five music channels.

"Regrettably we have not resolved our commercial issues, which has forced us to pull all Universal acts from our contemporary music channels. Foxtel Arts and Foxtel’s audio streaming service Foxtel Tunes are unaffected. The Foxtel music channels can continue without Universal artists however, it is not our desired outcome."