American artists receive less than $8 for 250,000 YouTube plays

""For every 250,000 streams on YouTube, that is the equivalent of one credit of ASCAP performing rights value," Renzer relayed. "One credit is less than $8, it's about $7.60."  The forum was held by the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) in Los Angeles earlier this year.    
Renzer aptly described the ratio as "depressing," though he also noted that YouTube has secured proper licenses with performance rights organizations.  "You do that math and it's pretty depressing, but that's the world we live in today, and it's causing a lot of consternation and a lot of discussion amongst the industry," Renzer relayed."

Source:  David Renzer, chairman & CEO of Universal Music Group Publishing, reported by Digital Music News, 22nd April 2011
Note - also make sure to read the discussion under the article on Digital Music News