YouTube has reached out to several video producers, asking them to submit applications to create for-pay "channels," according to a report in AdAge on Tuesday that cited anonymous sources.
The first such channels could be available to consumers by the second quarter for between $1 a month and $5 a month, AdAge reported.
YouTube, the world's No. 1 video website, has been moving to add professional-grade video programs to the vast archive of amateur, home-shot videos that made the site popular. The current crop of such channels is available to consumers for free and supported by advertising that appears alongside the videos.
YouTube has hinted in the past that it was considering offering subscription-based paid content. YouTube boss Salar Kamangar told Reuters in June that there was strong demand among certain YouTube video producers, such as video game networks, to offer fee-based programs.
"They have such a big audiences that they can start to segment their audiences into those that are willing to pay a higher amount" for things like new gaming tricks, Kamangar said at the time.
He also said that cable channels with small audiences could potentially be offered to consumers through YouTube on an "a la carte" basis.
YouTube was not immediately available for comment.
© Thomson Reuters 2012
Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.
Apple Watch Series 12
Starts from ₹56,900
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Starts from ₹62,479
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm, LTE)
Starts from ₹41,999
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, LTE)
Starts from ₹38,999
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm)
Starts from ₹36,999
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm)
Starts from ₹40,999
Oppo Find X10 Pro Max Confirmed to Launch in India as First Phone With a Triple 200-Megapixel Camera System
Redmi K100 Officially Confirmed to Launch Later This Month; Pre-Orders Begin