YouTube launches full-length shows

YouTube has launched full-length shows with 60 partners including Al Jazeera, BBC Worldwide, CBS, Channel 4, Fremantle, ITN and Turner.

The ad-funded Shows service, first revealed in May (nma 21 May 2009), includes around 5,000 videos totalling 3,000 hours of content.

Adult Swim, Baywatch, The Inbetweeners and Jamie at Home are among the shows available to stream.

Channel 4 has agreed a deal which will see the broadcaster sell the ads around its content, with Orange, Pepsi, Universal and Virgin Media among the first advertisers.

The launch follows YouTube’s introduction of better functionality, such as high-definition viewing.

Patrick Walker, director of video partnerships for YouTube, said, “The Shows section will make it easier for users to discover videos from the biggest names in British broadcasting, and help our content partners reach new audiences and generate new revenues.”

The content will boost YouTube’s viewing figures, which already serves over 1bn streams every day.

This story first appeared on newmediaage.co.uk