YouTube is Going Hollywood: Finalizing Deals with Media Companies
By Rob Scott
October 10, 2011
October 10, 2011
- YouTube is reportedly putting up $100 million in advances to well-known personalities and major media companies to produce original content channels on on its video site.
- The plans include attracting major advertisers and getting higher ad rates for professional video programming. Insiders suggest that YouTube hopes to launch the channels sometime next year.
- The Wall Street Journal reports that agreements are underway with the likes of pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, Warner Bros., News Corp.’s ShineReveille unit, BermanBraun, Fremantle Media (“The X Factor”), “CSI” creator Anthony Zuiker, and others.
- According to WSJ: “With its channels initiative, Google — which has been under pressure to turn YouTube into a profit center since buying the site for $1.6 billion in 2006 — is aiming to position the site for the rise of televisions and cable set-top boxes that let people watch online video in their living rooms, said the people familiar with the matter. More people are also watching videos on their smartphones and tablets, pressuring traditional cable and satellite operators to make content available on smaller screens.”
- ComScore numbers indicate YouTube had more than 600 million unique visits in September.
Topics: Anthony Zuiker, Comscore, CSI, Google, Hollywood, Original Content, Streaming, Tony Hawk, Video, Warner Bros., YouTube
2 Comments
ETCentric reported on this a while back when it was in rumor mode, but it sounds like it’s getting closer to launch. Will YouTube become stiffer competition for TV?
ETCentric reported on this a while back when it was in rumor mode, but it sounds like it’s getting closer to launch. Will YouTube become stiffer competition for TV?
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.