YouTube Adds Studio Pacts
Sony, Lionsgate, MGM Will Allow For Full Episodes Of Vintage TV Series
Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 4/17/2009 10:18:00 AM
TV's online rush continues with YouTube launching a gateway for professionally produced shows and movies.
Google's video-sharing vehicle top video vehicle has signed new and expanded agreements with studios Sony, Lionsgate and MGM, among others, which will enable uses to view full episodes of such classic TV fare as Married with Children, Star Trek and The Addams Family. One new show, CBS's serial killer serial Harpers Island will also be able to screened in its entirety, while clips of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live are also available, according to a Google spokeswoman.
The pacts will allow ads to be placed before, during and alongside the professionally produced product, with the revenue split between YouTube and the studios.
YouTube's user-generated clips, for the most part, run ad-free.
Last month,YouTube reached deals with Disney-ABC Television Group and ESPN to establish channels for short-form fare from the sports network, as well as ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Family and SoapNet.
Despite recording 90 million visitors in March, according to comScore, YouTube has been unable to monetize many of its array of video clips. With the cost of bandwidth and storage rising, YouTube, according to a Credit Suisse report, could lose $470 million this year.
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