Photo: Channel Four announced plans with YouTube today which will allow YouTube users to watch full length Channel Four shows, free of charge. The broadcaster is now the first in the world to make content available on the Google owned video sharing website.
The videos on YouTube would be very similar to the ones on Channel Fours' 4OD service which allows Internet users to watch repeats of shows such as Hollyoaks and Skins. Ther will be around 3,000 hours of programmes being uploaded to the video sharing website.
The move by Channel Four is another move by the broadcaster to lead the way in online television viewing as it was also the first broadcaster to allow viewers to watch programmes online via their 4OD service. The move into online television was followed by other broadcasters such as the BBC who created the i-player.
In return for giving the video content to YouTube, Channel Four will be allowed to sell advertising space around the very popular website and according to The Times, it is expected that Channel Four will take around 70 per cent of revenue from the ads whilst also being able to advertise around other videos. With advertising playing such an importnat role in new media technologies, and more importantly the Internet, this could prove to be a lucrative deal for Channel Four as it continues to run as an independent broadcaster with no access to the licence fee that the BBC receives.
The content will be available in the coming months but will be fully available come 2010.
Mark
ReplyDeleteChannel Four continue to lead the way...in what???
You're a journalist with hopes of getting into the industry. Channel Four's decision to cut back on its lunchtime news and its More4 news has forced journalists out of jobs. Not just that - it forced ITN (which has already suffered the loss of IRN (to Sky) and Setanta Sports News (back to Ireland)) to place its whole staff at risk of redundancy. (That's over 800 people who thought they had escaped the worst when SSN went under in June/July).
Channel Four are believed to be looking for a way OUT of their contract with ITN (which has produced the news for them since year dot) and are expected to break away and form their own. Guess what this would mean? More job cuts for Channel Four staff and a very high chance that ITN will struggle after the loss of THREE big contracts in a very short space of time., (meaning inevitable losses of jobs for those employed by ITN (mainly London Tonight, ITN ON and ITV News).
Don't doubt me though - I'm not a ITN apologist (anything but after recent months) but to see one of the world's largest and most respected news agencies struggling and possibly disappearing has got to be a worry for any journalist.
Channel Four continues to lead the way - correct - Channel Four continues to lead the way down a horrible path for young, aspiring broadcast journalists.