This may be interesting for content creators with a revenue sharing possibility.

We’ll be rolling paid channels out more broadly in the coming weeks as a self-service feature for qualifying partners.pilot program for a small group of partners that will offer paid channels on YouTube [youtube-global.blogspot.co.uk]

Time for a WebmasterWorld video channel?

Why not get the SEO speakers lined up and put them on YouTube and charge for it :)

Hmm, it looks like they're trying to compete with cable/satellite TV. Interesting.

I think this is just part of the beginning of something much bigger, when is going to be the end of network TV as we know it or at a minimum, there will be a place where shows can transition from TV to legions of fans without having corporate sponsors.

I've always said it was insane to stop producing TV shows with 3M people watching a week, put it OnDemand, Hulu, etc. and charge $0.99 an episode and let people that really want to watch it continue as long as they cover production costs.

We'll quickly learn that people either a) didn't like it that much or b) the networks were wrong and TV viewership will splinter even further to alternate sources.

I'm thinking someday soon sites like YouTube, Hulu and Netflix will be destinations for new shows and not the cable channels.

Netflix already has a list of programs: [en.wikipedia.org...]

My wife now watches some cancelled soap opera that now puts episodes on the web.

YouTube obviously has tons of original content, just not paid content yet.

The only problem I have with it all is what they call "HD" looks bad even to those without cataracts!

$0.99 per episode is still too high... unless I can download a copy too. Now maybe $0.99-$2.99/series/month if it's uploaded no more than 30 minutes after it ends live, is in HD, is commercial free, and I get to watch previous episodes whenever I want (no downloading is fine if it's monthly)

Hulu is decent, but the media companies still screw it over. Netflix is crap unless you want to watch older movies. Let's see what Youtube can do.

Two words..well Four words, really ;)

This part doesn't count as "words" I left this part out of the OP..but as no one else has mentioned it..

Net neutrality storm...


Every ISP is going to want to have a piece of this,( the bandwidth "may" hurt them ) or they'll throttle it..Which will make for complaints from "subscribers".. So..

'Nother word..copyright..

"You'll" have to pay..to see if someone is using your IP..in their "pay channel"..because the possible "infringements"..will be behind a "pay wall"..

G's lawyers are not stupid..

So..

[edited by: incrediBILL at 12:37 am (utc) on May 11, 2013]
[edit reason] language [/edit]

$0.99 per episode is still too high...

Not really considering people are willing to spend $20 on a season of a TV show on DVD it works out about the same. Not to mention they're already doing it on iTunes and people are gobbling it up. I'd spend that much to keep a show I like online especially considering movies are now $14 for a mere 2 hours in XD vs. $20 for a season of a TV show, it's a bargain by comparison and I already know I like the TV show and the movie is a gamble..

Not really considering people are willing to spend $20 on a season of a TV show on DVD it works out about the same.

That's a pretty small percentage of any given show's audience, though. I'd guess they lose 80% of viewership by charging $0.99 per episode. It would weed out all but the die-hard fans.

Imagine the typical person that watches 4-5 shows a day. You don't think they'll balk at $120/mo for just hand-picked series, without the current boredom fallback of hundreds of channels to flip through for a similar or lesser price? You'll end up with most people watching a ton less TV, which isn't a bad thing but isn't exactly what the producers want.

Dan

My points:

a) starting from .99 doesn't mean 0.99 but way more. In fact, most channels are in the 3/5$ range for weak content. You can have a pack of documentary and soap just for 35$ or take it for free in your TV.

b) who needs Youtube paid channels? The same content is available elsewhere in Youtube (maybe flipped horizontally to skip filters) :-)

c) are you sure this is not the next Google's cancelled service due to weak response of the users?

You can have a pack of documentary and soap just for 35$ or take it for free in your TV.

What do you mean "free in your TV?" Many areas can't get any free broadcast channels anymore - you either pay a lot for cable, or your TV is basically a box for watching DVDs or something.

I meant to say many "US areas" or many areas in the US.... somehow lost it as I edited on the fly. I'm aware TV doesn't work exactly the same way in every country worldwide. :)