Google announced today that its YouTube video network will feature premium Hollywood studio movies and TV shows directly to consumers from a custom page. YouTube becomes the latest to offer first rate Hollywood programming directly on the web.
The premium content will be free to view, but supported by ads with ad revenue shared with content owners. Content from Sony, CBS, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, BBC, and independent film studio Lions Gate Entertainment will be available through YouTube.
YouTube still lags Hulu – many of Hulu’s programs are only a few days old when their air on TV where most of those announced by YouTube are older “re-runs” including Fantasy Island, Alf, Party of Five, and the Adams Family.
The move is significant in that YouTube dominates the digital video market with over 100 million unique visitors in January 2009 and over 6.3 billion videos viewed according to ComScore media. YouTube has over 11 times as many videos viewed as the next largest distributor – Fox Interactive.
In addition, YouTube continues to move its model from videos featuring user generated content to those featuring professionally developed programs. Advertisers have been reluctant to place ads next to user generated content for fear that what’s playing could damage their brands. Instead, Google sees premium content as providing a higher return per view compared to user generated content.
In total this means more choice, more flexibility for those of you who have cut the TV cord.
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