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| YouTube to launch subscription service | YouTube to launch subscription service |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| YouTube is to launch a subscription service offering original, exclusive videos - including feature-length films starring high-profile vloggers. | YouTube is to launch a subscription service offering original, exclusive videos - including feature-length films starring high-profile vloggers. |
| Initially only available in the US, YouTube Red will cost $9.99 (£6.50) a month and have no adverts. | Initially only available in the US, YouTube Red will cost $9.99 (£6.50) a month and have no adverts. |
| PewDiePie, Rooster Teeth and Lilly Singh are among the well-known names involved. | |
| Analysts suggested it could be difficult to turn millions of fans who expect free access to pay up. | Analysts suggested it could be difficult to turn millions of fans who expect free access to pay up. |
| "It's great to see YouTube offer an alternative to an ad-only model," said Brian Blau, an analyst with Gartner. "Consumers want choice and options." | "It's great to see YouTube offer an alternative to an ad-only model," said Brian Blau, an analyst with Gartner. "Consumers want choice and options." |
| "But pay walls haven't always done well and uptake depends on how users balance the attractiveness of the exclusive content and the pain of sitting through lots of ads." | "But pay walls haven't always done well and uptake depends on how users balance the attractiveness of the exclusive content and the pain of sitting through lots of ads." |
| Ian Maude from Enders Analysis was also sceptical about the size of the audience it would attract. | Ian Maude from Enders Analysis was also sceptical about the size of the audience it would attract. |
| "You are not going to see 50% buying this," he said. "It's going to be relatively small numbers." | "You are not going to see 50% buying this," he said. "It's going to be relatively small numbers." |
| "But," he added. "they might be able to hoover up some more money and from Google's perspective it gets them into the high-quality, high-production value game." | "But," he added. "they might be able to hoover up some more money and from Google's perspective it gets them into the high-quality, high-production value game." |
| He said that YouTube, like other video-streaming sites, was seeking to become a platform that showed original content it bankrolled not just programmes made by other organisations. | He said that YouTube, like other video-streaming sites, was seeking to become a platform that showed original content it bankrolled not just programmes made by other organisations. |
| "Google has deep pockets and a lot of money and it's a space it needs to be in so it makes sense to me that they would want to be there," said Mr Maude. | "Google has deep pockets and a lot of money and it's a space it needs to be in so it makes sense to me that they would want to be there," said Mr Maude. |
| Package deal | Package deal |
| YouTube will offer US-based users a month's free trial of Red from 28 October. International pricing and launches will be announced soon. | YouTube will offer US-based users a month's free trial of Red from 28 October. International pricing and launches will be announced soon. |
| "For years, YouTube's fans have been telling us they want more," the company wrote in a blog post. | "For years, YouTube's fans have been telling us they want more," the company wrote in a blog post. |
| "More choice when watching their favourite content, more ways to support their favourite creators and, above all, the option to watch their favourite videos uninterrupted." | "More choice when watching their favourite content, more ways to support their favourite creators and, above all, the option to watch their favourite videos uninterrupted." |
| YouTube Red original shows will include: | YouTube Red original shows will include: |
| Scare PewDiePie - a reality adventure series as Felix reacts to situations inspired by his favourite games. | Scare PewDiePie - a reality adventure series as Felix reacts to situations inspired by his favourite games. |
| Sing it! - A comedy that satirises talent competitions | Sing it! - A comedy that satirises talent competitions |
| Lazer Team - A movie featuring four losers who find an alien ship carrying an strange cargo | Lazer Team - A movie featuring four losers who find an alien ship carrying an strange cargo |
| A Trip to Unicorn Island - An in-depth look at the life of Lilly Singh as she embarks on a 26 city tour. | A Trip to Unicorn Island - An in-depth look at the life of Lilly Singh as she embarks on a 26 city tour. |
| Single by 30 - a romantic drama about two high school friends who pledge to marry each other if they are still unwed at 30 | Single by 30 - a romantic drama about two high school friends who pledge to marry each other if they are still unwed at 30 |
| Fight of the Living Dead - a reality show that puts popular YouTubers in a frightening zombie apocalypse to see how they cope | Fight of the Living Dead - a reality show that puts popular YouTubers in a frightening zombie apocalypse to see how they cope |
| I Am Tobuscus - a comedy about a self-involved YouTube creator trying to be a big star | I Am Tobuscus - a comedy about a self-involved YouTube creator trying to be a big star |
| The roster also includes some as yet untitled items such as a show based around the science of video games that will be filmed for VR headsets, a reality series that puts YouTube stars into a murder mystery setting and an anthology looking at the absurdity of internet culture. | The roster also includes some as yet untitled items such as a show based around the science of video games that will be filmed for VR headsets, a reality series that puts YouTube stars into a murder mystery setting and an anthology looking at the absurdity of internet culture. |
| YouTube content will be able to be downloaded and watched offline, a contrasting approach to Netflix - its chief product officer last month said offline viewing wasn't something users wanted. | YouTube content will be able to be downloaded and watched offline, a contrasting approach to Netflix - its chief product officer last month said offline viewing wasn't something users wanted. |
| The subscription will include access to YouTube Gaming and a new YouTube Music app, also announced on Wednesday. Google's streaming music service, Google Play Music, will also be included. | The subscription will include access to YouTube Gaming and a new YouTube Music app, also announced on Wednesday. Google's streaming music service, Google Play Music, will also be included. |
| This package deal of sorts could present a threat to Apple Music and Spotify whose services, which are solely audio, are roughly the same price. | This package deal of sorts could present a threat to Apple Music and Spotify whose services, which are solely audio, are roughly the same price. |
| Zombie apocalypse | Zombie apocalypse |
| While the free, ad-supported version of YouTube will remain as-is, the move represents the first time that YouTube will limit some material to paying customers only. | While the free, ad-supported version of YouTube will remain as-is, the move represents the first time that YouTube will limit some material to paying customers only. |
| Those members will get productions featuring YouTube stars who regularly command audiences bigger than global broadcast giants, working with high-end production houses on the original content. | Those members will get productions featuring YouTube stars who regularly command audiences bigger than global broadcast giants, working with high-end production houses on the original content. |
| The first of these shows will be rolled out early next year. | The first of these shows will be rolled out early next year. |
| Arguably the most well-known, PewDiePie - real name Felix Kjellberg - will be working with the executive producers behind blockbuster zombie series The Walking Dead on a "reality adventure series". | Arguably the most well-known, PewDiePie - real name Felix Kjellberg - will be working with the executive producers behind blockbuster zombie series The Walking Dead on a "reality adventure series". |
| The show will include "thrills, chills and laughter as PewDiePie encounters terrifying situations inspired by his favourite video games". | The show will include "thrills, chills and laughter as PewDiePie encounters terrifying situations inspired by his favourite video games". |
| Another show "takes popular YouTube talent and traps them in a frighteningly realistic zombie apocalypse. They must use their instincts and gaming skills to survive as they battle the elements for the ultimate prize of survival". | Another show "takes popular YouTube talent and traps them in a frighteningly realistic zombie apocalypse. They must use their instincts and gaming skills to survive as they battle the elements for the ultimate prize of survival". |
| In all, the company announced 10 original projects, including one project that will be shot in 360 degrees and designed to be enjoyed using a virtual reality headset. | In all, the company announced 10 original projects, including one project that will be shot in 360 degrees and designed to be enjoyed using a virtual reality headset. |
| Strategy shift | Strategy shift |
| The move represents YouTube's gradual shift from being the first giant of the new media age to something resembling a more traditional media company, with executives deciding what content is made and promoted - albeit heavily influenced by online trends and viewing data. | The move represents YouTube's gradual shift from being the first giant of the new media age to something resembling a more traditional media company, with executives deciding what content is made and promoted - albeit heavily influenced by online trends and viewing data. |
| Moving to a paywall model could be appealing to creators who could receive higher revenues from paying YouTube customers than they currently do from advertising revenue shared with YouTube. | Moving to a paywall model could be appealing to creators who could receive higher revenues from paying YouTube customers than they currently do from advertising revenue shared with YouTube. |
| However, that relies on YouTube's ability to get an audience not used to paying for content to commit to a monthly subscription. Or, tougher still, YouTube has to convince the parents of those fans to start paying instead. | However, that relies on YouTube's ability to get an audience not used to paying for content to commit to a monthly subscription. Or, tougher still, YouTube has to convince the parents of those fans to start paying instead. |
| And breathing down YouTube's neck is Facebook. After rolling out auto-playing videos to its news feed, the site recently started creating dedicated video areas, much like YouTube Channels. | And breathing down YouTube's neck is Facebook. After rolling out auto-playing videos to its news feed, the site recently started creating dedicated video areas, much like YouTube Channels. |
| Behind the scenes YouTube has been busy trying to convince advertisers that its viewers are comparatively more engaged than Facebook users in what they are watching - and that YouTube has stricter criteria over what exactly constitutes a "view". | Behind the scenes YouTube has been busy trying to convince advertisers that its viewers are comparatively more engaged than Facebook users in what they are watching - and that YouTube has stricter criteria over what exactly constitutes a "view". |
| Follow Dave Lee on Twitter: @DaveLeeBBC | Follow Dave Lee on Twitter: @DaveLeeBBC |
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