YouTube to add feature films

YouTube will add full-length feature films from a major Hollywood studio to its arsenal of short from user-gen and professional clips in 30 to 90 days, according to CNET news. It has long been speculated that Google-owned YouTube would make a play for this space, where News Corp/NBC joint venture Hulu has emerged as the clear leader.

The studio was not named, although it's safe to say that it's probably not Universal or Fox, as their parent companies are heavily invested in Hulu.

The other major studios, namely Paramount, Time Warner, Disney and Sony, have surely seen the success Hulu has had and know they need to embrace the trend toward online video. The CNET report states that the model will be ad-supported, but a major sticking point in negotiations has been whether Google or the studios will have final say in advertising methods and form over the content.

Google has been guiding YouTube in the professional content direction, as the immensely popular user-generated online video share site never drew gigantic profits from its gigantic audiences. Still, it has maintained 80 million unique visitors each month, and with lagging DVD sales, Hollywood execs are sure to want such a prime alternative distribution channel for their products. 

For more:
- see the CNET news article here 

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