YouTube Debuts 4,000 Free With Ads TV Episodes And 1,500 Movies

YouTube is joining the streaming game as cable gasps its final dying breaths. The behemoth platform just added 4,000 ad-supported TV episodes and 1,500 movies to attract even more viewers, Deadline reported.

The publication noted how this move strengthens YouTube’s position in the AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) game, which is currently going strong in the marketplace. The streaming giant is owned by Alphabet, and YouTube is being positioned in direct competition with other major players including Fox, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Disney, and WarnerMedia. All of those have either purchased AVOD platforms or created their own.

With so many subscription services, consumers are becoming fatigued with the idea of another recurring charge, even at a low cost. But YouTube has a unique benefit in that they’ve relied on ads for years and users are conditioned to expect them to play before or during content on that platform already. These new TV shows and movies will be presented for free, but with ads, which plays off the existing setup for YouTube.

That approach seems to be working on existing content. Deadline reported that in the fourth quarter, YouTube reported a 25% year-over-year increase in ad revenue, resulting in $8.6 billion. The same article relayed that YouTube reached 135 million viewers on connected smart TVs in the United States.

Television offerings as part of this new promotion included “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Andromeda,” and “Heartland.” Meanwhile, movies were sourced from popular studios including Disney, Warner Bros., and Paramount. “Legally Blonde,” “Runaway Bride,” and “Gone in Sixty Seconds” aren’t exclusive to the YouTube AVOD platform, but some of the other platforms require subscription fees, which limits the audience. They’re available for free on YouTube with many offered in 1080p and 5.1 surround sound audio.

YouTube has been under scrutiny for some of their censorship policies in recent years. Like other big tech platforms, YouTube has been accused of targeting conservative content and banning it for violating terms of service.

In late January, commentator Dan Bongino was permanently banned from the platform after a temporary suspension for allegedly spreading COVID misinformation. This move came shortly after Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) made a snarky retort in response to a CDC report stating that cloth masks are the least effective form of face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The senator was suspended back in August for saying the same, which at the time was also deemed misinformation under YouTube’s policy.

Paul tweeted, “Does this mean snot-nosed censors at YouTube will come to my office and kiss my … and admit I was right?”

Meanwhile, the streaming service Rumble touts itself as a “free speech alternative” to YouTube.

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