14 DAY TRIAL // YouTube has struck a deal with Disney for several series with original content to show up on the video site but also on Disney's own. Disney and YouTube will finance at least one new series created exclusively for the video site, but there are plans of having at least several series in production at any given time.
The New York Times reports that the two companies will spend $10 million to $15 million, €7.25 million to €10.8 million on the first series alone.
The series will center around Swampy, the main character in "Where's My Water" an iOS puzzle app, probably not one of Disney's best known characters, but it's a start, especially since this will be about new content.
Disney is not going to risk any of its big franchises by creating content for YouTube to be streamed for free.
The two companies plan to work together on several series. The content will be showed on a dedicated YouTube channel but also on Disney.com on a co-branded page.
This is perhaps the best sign that the deal is a big one for YouTube and a sign that at least some old media folks are starting to realize they need help.
Disney has been loosing visitors to its site quite badly and the site hasn't exactly won any awards.
What's more, kids these days, Disney's core audience after all, are much more likely to go to YouTube for anything than they are to visit individual sites, especially poorly designed and slow ones.
The amount of music, especially that aimed at kids and teenagers, that is watched on YouTube should be evident of that.
But YouTube needs Disney just as much as the other way around, a big brand like that is going to attract viewers, but, more importantly, advertisers, which, for YouTube, are much harder to come by.