Would you pay to watch YouTube videos, uninterrupted by advertising?
That’s a question a lot of business analysts — and users — are now pondering, as reports emerge that Google’s video-streaming site is in the process of launching an as-yet-unnamed monthly subscription.
“Netflix has proved people are willing to pay,” says Duncan Stewart, a media analyst and trend forecaster with Deloitte Canada. “I’m not suggesting YouTube’s success is a foregone conclusion, but I understand why they’re trying it.”
YouTube is already a global giant, with more than one billion users and $4 billion a year in revenue. It’s not the only content company trying to win over subscribers via the internet.
Budget-conscious Canadians will need to add up their entertainment costs, especially now that Canada’s telecom regulator has ordered that a new pick-and-pay system for cable TV customers be put in place by 2016.
Ordering from an a la carte menu of services, including Netflix and YouTube plus specialty channels, could end up costing more than the prix fixe of a cable subscription.
(Via Huffington Post Canada)
Richelle Sibolboro 