YouTube Set to Introduce Paid Subscriptions This Spring

[David2074]

MisdreavusPrincess

No way would I pay to use Youtube.
It's bad enough that not only did they merge with Google and become copyright nazis, but they play ads constantly on nearly every video and they make enough money from that.

Like any media product it will boil down to if people are happy with what they receive in exchange for what they pay - both in real dollars and in their time spent tolerating advertising.
The current ads on youtube are actually not that bad. Yes, you usually see ONE ad when you launch a video. ONE. And most of the time you can skip out of that ad before it is over. If you are watching a lot of 3 or 4 minute music videos that can seem a little annoying but if you are watching something that is 20-25 minutes long that is less than what you get from virtually any of the cable TV channels people are paying for.

The reason most episodes of 1/2 hour TV shows are only 22-25 minutes long when you buy them on DVD is the other 5-7 minutes (when aired) is commercials. So, for example, I have watched full episodes of cartoons / anime on Youtube and been subjected to only one commercial compared to several commercials if I watched it on TV.

The article mentions that for these paid subscriptions they are undecided about advertising and would probably leave it up to the entity selling the subscription / content. A few ads here and there might be a way to make the subscription cheaper. Most of the channels I see on cable don't interest me. Suppose hypothetically that I could subscribe to a channel(s) I really like (Discovery, ScyFy etc.) for a small amount of money with either no commercials or fewer commercials than I would see for the same channel on cable. That in turn made me happy with no cable or a lower package. The money I saved could make the subscription on youtube well worth it. They are starting out targeting lesser known content which is seeking greater exposure by my point remains the same that hypothetically you might find some paid content you felt was well worth it.

And for those who read my posts - yeah, I know I can't get either fast internet or cable at my house. I'm mentally comparing what I see when I take my laptop to the friend's house who has both.

[David2074]

Eternal Marionetta

This worries me as a Youtube blogger.
Next thing you know, they'll be charging for you to upload videos.

Possibly, but I doubt it.
I think part of what keeps millions of people coming to Youtube is the fun variety of free content. Whether you are in the mood for music videos or parody or humorous pet videos or how to videos or videos showing a product you are interested in or (blah blah blah..) you can usually find enough of it on youtube to get immersed in it for a while. If they charged for uploads I think a huge amount of that content would go away. I also think if youtube got a reputation for just having mostly commercially produced stuff their user base would fall off dramatically and with it so would their ad revenue stream. I suspect people will be able to blog about important and unimportant stuff on Youtube for free for a long time to come.

[Snowy One Piece Lover]

So if I decide I want to sit around and watch Smosh or Wassabi...they may make me pay for it?

******** the internet

[David2074]

Snowy One Piece Lover

So if I decide I want to sit around and watch Smosh or Wassabi...they may make me pay for it?

******** the internet

Um, no, not as I understand it.
While in theory any particular content provider on Youtube could try the subscription route it doesn't mean they will. The article states they are targeting new content from under exposed shows seeking another way to reach new audiences.

[fairy-phoenix]

I have an account... but if I have to pay to watch stuff on YT than I might just cancel that account for good or switch it around or something to that effect.