YOUTUBE LAUNCHING INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS FOR ORIGINAL CONTENT, BUT WILL THEY STAY FREE??

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter did a report on Youtube going international with its efforts in getting original content creators to create channels that could include new efforts similar to Shut Up Cartoons and Mondo Animation in bringing forth animated content, but with an international flavor added.  According to the article, Youtube is said to be launching 60+ new channels with a wide variety of channel types that should help build Youtube into an even bigger powerhouse than it already is at a cost of about $150m. Also, world renowned actors and actresses like Adam Carolla and Sarah Silverman are said to be launching their own Youtube channels which makes me think that Adam Carolla’s animated series originally intended for FOX may get some life.

As awesome as all this sounds, this great content may soon come with a price. In another article on The Hollywood Reporter, Robert Kyncl of whom is a VP for Youtube, states that currently its content creators make bank on ad-supported models but only after the channels pay back the investment made into them in which case the channel makes a 50/50 split on the revenue generated by the content. On average, channels only get about $500k from Youtube/ Google which sounds like a lot but it probably isn’t which makes me think a subscription model for channels could be possible but it would probably be years down the road before that happens if for no other reason being giving the still new Youtube channels time to really ramp up their brand and properties.

So…would you pay for some Youtube content or just stick to the free stuff??