Youtube has decided to partner with several French content producers to bring premium content to the French public according to French newspaper Le Figaro.The premium content is expected to launch in October and Google is currently in the final stages of negotiations. Premium channels will include content from high-profile producers such as Oscar winner Jean Dujardin from The Artist and entertainment company Endemol.
The premium channels will focus on family-oriented entertainment such as health, cuisine, and culture. Production partners will be required to produce 20 hours of original content each year and will received between €500,000 and €1 million. Content owners will share in on ad revenue exceeding projections. Youtube will retain distribution rights to the content meaning that the content would not be allowed to be on similar sites like Youtube.
Premium channel negotiations similar to the ones in France are being made in the UK and Germany as well and we’ve already heard some rumors about premium channels in the US before. Google could definitely have a hit on their hands with the right content and distribution rights. We’ll keep you updated on the premium content deals in Europe as well as in the US as more info becomes available on them.