The next year looks like being an interesting one for YouTube, as Google is reportedly seeking to redesign the site to make vertical channels full of original content its main hub. Hopefully without annoying or scaring off its current partners and content creators.
YouTube Evolving
YouTube has been evolving pretty much since it launched in 2005. Some of the evolutionary steps were forced upon the site – cleaning up the copyright-infringing content – while some has been as a response to what is happening in the wider world of the Web and beyond.
One of the biggest moves is from being a video site that’s all about UGC (user-generated content) to one that comprises a mix of amateur and professionally-produced videos. While UGC is still the heart and soul of the site, the body parts which pay dividends come from known producers.
According to the Wall Street Journal the latest step on this journey is creating vertical channels full of original video content. I guess that explains the Next New Networks acquisition then.
Vertical Channels Of Original Content
This more or less backs what we heard in February about YouTube building channels. But while the plans then seemed to be focused on using a celebrity as the poster boy for each channel, it now looks as though production companies and directors are going to form the hub around which each channel is built.
The budget remains the same though: the earlier article listed a $5 million-per-channel price tag and it’s now $100 million for 20 channels. Which unless my math fails me is exactly the same thing.
The channels would reportedly be clustered around topics such as Art and Sport, with each featuring up to 10 hours of original content each week. I’d guess the best UGC would then pad each channel out to ramp the hours up.
Conclusions
This is a necessary step if YouTube hopes to keep up with current trends. It suggests Google is preparing to turn YouTube into something more akin to a traditional television network, just one that only broadcasts on the Web.
The danger is losing those content creators who currently aren’t being rewarded for their work. Unless YouTube manages to take everyone with them on this journey then it risks losing what it has to become something some would argue is less worthy.
