US – YouTube TV is a new tv streaming service that enables users to watch content from a selection of major tv networks on the platform.
- YouTube has partnered with some of the most popular networks in the US, giving viewers access to hit shows such as Empire, The Voice and The Big Bang Theory, as well as live sport
- The service, which costs £28 ($35, €32), includes a ‘cloud DVR’ mode that enables viewers to save their favourite shows, and can be cancelled at any time
YouTube, once the posterchild for Web 2.0, is now looking to become the central conduit for consumers’ entertainment needs by integrating content from a raft of major networks. YouTube TV will enable subscribers to stream content from providers such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports Networks and Comcast SportsNet.
It follows the launch of YouTube Red in 2016, the platform’s first foray into producing original, high-production-value content to rival that of established entertainment providers.
YouTube TV’s cloud DVR mode offers subscribers unlimited storage, enabling them to record shows and store them for up to nine months. The service is platform-agnostic, which means that subscribers can view content on a range of devices, including tvs fitted with a Chromecast device.
YouTube TV has launched in New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago and Philadelphia, and the service will be rolled out across other US states in the future.
The Big Picture
Media networks are partnering with social media platforms such as YouTube and Snapchat to reach Generation D consumers who prefer to view content on non-traditional platforms and are not interested in signing up to lengthy subscription packages.