YouTube Turns into Online TV

Google managed to sign a new deal that will enhance the content published on YouTube as the TVNZ channel will offer almost any of its TV programs to be uploaded on the page. As usual, the agreement creates a new YouTube channel, just like the others built for BBC, NBA and Chelsea FC. According to TVNZ, the new page will work just like any other partner website created by YouTube, allowing users to comment, rate and discuss the uploaded vids.

"The initial content on the channel will range from Mai Time features to stories from 20/20, ONE News, the Sunday exclusive with Keisha Castle-Hughes and chat segments with the stars of Shortland St," TVNZ reported.

In the recent period, YouTube signed a lot of deals with TV providers from all around the world, representing a powerful campaign that turns the online video sharing service into a real TV stations accessible for free. "For us it accomplishes some very important things in terms of public value. It allows New Zealand talent and identity to be seen outside our own country, and it establishes yet another platform where TVNZ programming is going to be available to a whole new group of people, whenever they want it," TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis said today according to TVNZ.

At this time, there is no official number for the partnerships owned by YouTube but the parent company's officials sustain that it is around 1000. It all started after the Viacom removal when the owner of MTV demanded YouTube to remove 100.000 clips from the page. Because the online video sharing service urgently needed new companies to revive the product, it signed deals with several firms able to bring video content to the page. Just after the removal was started, the Google representatives said that YouTube's traffic was boosted due to homemade content and to the recently-signed deals.