VivendiSA’s Universal Music Publishing Group has struck deals with Maker Studios Inc. and Fullscreen Inc., two of the biggest “multichannel networks”—a new breed of digital entertainment companies that distribute, promote and sometimes produce videos specifically made for Google Inc.’s YouTube. Under terms of the deals, Universal will get an undisclosed percentage of revenue from ads that run alongside cover videos of the publisher’s songs on YouTube.

Music publishers control the copyrights on musical compositions and lyrics, unlike record companies, which typically own specific recordings of those songs.

Cover videos are among the most popular on YouTube, perhaps because they combine the appeal of established hit songs with the allure of new performers putting their own spin on the songs. Such cover videos can be an career steppingstone. Justin Bieber‘s path to stardom began with posting covers of pop songs on YouTube, where his manager spotted them.

But until now, little if any of the ad revenue from those cover videos went back to the band members, producers and songwriters who composed the song, or the music publishers who represent them. [AlLindstrom]