14 DAY TRIAL // YouTube is, by far, the largest video site in the world, but in some respects it looks like it's only just beginning. This may very well be because online video is still very much in the early days and its potential reach and usage is well beyond anything we've seen so far. Whatever the case, Google's video site has been adding new content partners lately at an accelerated pace. A few months back, it announced a wide deal with UK's Channel 4 to bring in a huge amount of content from the broadcaster. Now, YouTube is unveiling the new Univision channel the end result of its partnership with Univision one of the largest Spanish-language TV network in the US.
"It's been a few months since we announced our partnership with Univision to bring current, full-length and short-form TV episodes from one of the most popular Spanish-language broadcasters in America. Today marks the official launch of the Univision channel on YouTube, where you can find leading programs from Univision's three major networks: Univision, TeleFutura and Galavisión," YouTube's Shanna Preve wrote.
It is one of the most wide reaching deals YouTube has pulled off so far, with a big number of shows from the broadcaster now having full-length episodes hosted on the site. Interestingly, users will also get exclusive content as the channel will also feature weekly recaps of the action presented by the star of the shows themselves. Most of the content is also available on Univision's own sites, but YouTube is the first third-party partner the broadcaster signs up.
YouTube may have risen as the number one video site on top of user generated content and it still puts a lot of emphasis on that but most of the focus recently has been on professional content which is much easier to monetize. Google has been signing partnerships left and right and, while it still hasn't landed any of the big fish, its catalogue of professional videos is already extensive and growing.