Google pushes original content on YouTube
In a continued attempt to make their $1.65 billion investment profitable, Google will wager up to $100 million to create “low-cost” original content. The move, which has been described by tech community as everything from reinventing YouTube, to being charged with creating “cheap-o” programming, will come with a major overhaul of YouTube.
Google finds itself entering a market where Hulu and Netflix might already have a lead. Already working with networks such as CBS and Starz, and with a recent announcement that that has Manhattan drinkers everywhere excited, Google will be forced to compete with Netflix. Hulu also recently launched their own original content, and works with several major networks and shows to provide free streaming of recent episodes and paid streaming of many full seasons and series, as well as many (albeit normally older or obscure) movies.
Google has met with various Hollywood talent agencies to source clients to create YouTube channels, but it’s more likely that deals will be made with whole production companies rather than individuals. In addition to the new channels, Google is also pushing for YouTube to gain more television and movie rights, as a deal with Miramax is also reportedly in the works. According to the Wall Street Journal, “YouTube executives say they want people to ‘watch YouTube’ the same way they ‘watch TV.’”
Perhaps the most significant point that sets Google’s TV ambitions apart from other providers is the company’s potential to synergize with social networking and other social media. Along with existing tools on YouTube that help connect users to one another, the new channels will provide new features to help them find content popular among friends and family. With talks of acquiring Facebook, Google may find itself uniquely positioned to organically lead us from the darkness of an outdated, passive viewing experience provided by cable and network TV. Socially interactive, online content on demand is here.
