Google"s push for more revenue sources for its YouTube website went to another level today. As previously reported, Google has begun to charge money to access a few video channels on YouTube in a new pilot program.
In a post on YouTube"s official blog, it states that YouTube content creators have been asking Google to add "more flexibility in monetizing and distributing content." The pilot program includes over 50 channels to subscribe from, with fees that range from 99 cents to $2.99 a month, with some offering yearly subscriptions at a discount. All of the paid channels offer a way to try them out for free for 14 days.
The current list of channels include selections for kids such as Baby First Plus and National Geographic Kids, and Google says that Sesame Street will launch a paid channel in the future that will include full episodes of the PBS series. There are also some channels that have more mature content, including movies from independent studios like Magnet and The Asylum.
Google says that even more paid YouTube channels will launch in the coming weeks, and qualified YouTube creators will be able to sign up for launching their own paid channels as a self-service feature. While you can view any paid channels on multiple devices, the actual subscription payment must be done on the PC website for now.
Source: YouTube | Image via YouTube