One year ago, Google announced plans to launch over 100 "channels" on its YouTube video service that would have original content from a variety of creators and topics. Those channels would receive funding from Google. This week, the company not only announced some statistics from its first year, it also announced a new expansion of channels outside the US.
In a post on the official YouTube blog, Google said that the top 25 YouTube content channels it has established now generate over one million views a week. It also announced that it will launch a new selection of original channels today. In addition to new content for the US market, YouTube will expand its plans to include channels for France, Germany and the UK.
The blog post states:
From local cuisine, health and wellness and parenting to sports, music, comedy, animation and news, this new lineup of original channels will have something for everyone. They are backed by some of the biggest producers, well-known celebrities and emerging media companies from Europe and the U.S.
Meanwhile, some of the content producers with original YouTube channels have apparently complained quietly that Google hasn't done much to promote their programming. AllThingsD.com chatted with YouTube exec Robert Kyncl on this subject. He said, "We don’t want to act like a TV programmer. We act like a platform. We’re absolutely not a TV programmer. So if people are saying we’re not acting like one, I’m thrilled. It means we’re doing exactly what we should be doing."
Source: YouTube | Image via Google
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