YouTube is no longer the home just for people who want to upload their own cute kitten videos or watch old TV commercials. YouTube"s owner, Google, has also been putting in lots of money to help fund original content on the service. In October, it formally announced its "YouTube TV" plans, putting in $150 million to fund close to 100 channels of original content.
So far, Google seems pleased with what has transpired and will continue to expand their push to have YouTube be more like a traditional TV network. Today, the Wall Street Journal reports that Google is spending another $200 million on its efforts to fund more original content on YouTube.
The story adds that Google has already secured over $150 million from companies to run ads on these original video channels (Google has not confirmed or denied these numbers). Google does say that 10 of their original content channels average more than one million video views per week. One of them is Awesomeness TV, which just launched last month. It has now generated 10 million video views with shows geared for the young adult crowd.
Google also reportedly plans to expand their efforts in 2013, funding new original channels made specifically for audiences in Britain and France.
Source: Wall Street Journal