YouTube announced it will be launching a paid subscription model as early as this week for some of its specialist video channels.
It was only last week than video steaming website YouTube announced that it caters to over 6 billion video streaming hours per month. In a move that could potentially bring in more revenue for the company, YouTube announced that it will soon be launching a paid subscription model for some of its specialist video channels. This new model will reportedly go into effect as early as this week.
The a la carte service will effect up to 50 YouTube channels and will include a single channel subscriptions for as little as $1.99 a month.
"We have nothing to announce at this time, but we're looking into creating a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to YouTube for our users to enjoy and provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content, beyond the rental and ad-supported models we offer," a YouTube spokesperson told Mashable.
Rumors that YouTube will begin a subscription model for its premium content have been circulating for some time. In January, AdAge reported that the site has asked a small group of channels to apply to become a part of the paid model.
The new content might cover TV shows and films even. It is believed that cable and satellite channels are interested in resurrecting old programs and even creating new ones to tap in the revenue model of YouTube, reports The Financial Times.
At the time, a YouTube representative told Mashable, "We have long maintained that different content requires different types of payment models ... The important thing is that, regardless of the model, our creators succeed on the platform. There are a lot of our content creators that think they would benefit from subscriptions, so we're looking at that."
