YouTube's Content Thaw: MGM Posting Full Shows and Movies On It
This story was written by Rafat Ali.
YouTube's mainstream content quagmire is beginning to thaw a bit, as traction among competitors such as Hulu and TV networks' own sites begins to grow: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) is trying up with the Google-owned video site, and will start posting episodes of its decade-old "American Gladiators" program to YouTube, along with full-length action films like "Bulletproof Monk" and "The Magnificent Seven" and clips from popular movies like "Legally Blonde", reports NYT. Some would point out that the financially troubled MGM has nothing to lose from these experiments, unlike other studios still sitting on the sidelines.
As part of its deal, MGM will monitor its copyrighted clips uploaded by general users, and will have the option of pulling them down, or letting them be and share the ad revenue, something that YouTuvbe is encouraging its content partners to do more and more. Jim Packer, MGM's co-president said the movies upload were intended to promote the studio's VOD channel, Impact, on Comcast, ut he did not see putting a significant part of the studio's catalog on the site anytime soon.
Last week a report said that the site is working on tying up with other studios, though it is a bit far off. YouTobe has a deal with independent studio Lionsgate, but that's mainly for movie clips. It has built a "Screening Room" recently, with the idea to showcase indie movies there. That could feasibly be expanded to include major studio content as well.
By Rafat Ali