YouTube To Add Monthly Subscription Fees

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Ad Age has the details. Don’t worry, you won’t have to suddenly pay for everything…

YouTube is treating paid subscriptions as an experiment, much like video rentals when it began in 2010. The initial group of channels will be small, likely about 25 at the outset. The revenue split from subscriptions is expected to be similar to the 45-55 split that is common for ads on YouTube. Partners will also have the option to include ads in their pay channels, but its unclear what form those will take.

They could debut as soon as April. The idea behind it, the article suggests, is to co-opt some less-popular cable networks which may be attracted by the lower costs. And if that goes well, you can easily imagine YouTube eventually turning into an a la carte alternative to cable packages.

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