Copyright Law

YouTube Adds Section for TV Shows, Full-Length Movies

By soulxtc

Tries to compete with other streaming sites like Hulu.

YouTube recently unveiled a new section for TV shows and full-length movies. With partners like Crackle, CBS, MGM, Lionsgate, Starz and more it now offers thousands of TV episodes and hundreds of movies for visitors to watch, comment on, favorite and share.

"This addition is one of many efforts underway to ensure that we’re offering you all the different kinds of video you want to see, from bedroom vlogs and citizen journalism reports to music videos and full-length films and TV shows," it says.

YouTube no doubt wishes to compete with other streaming sites like Hulu, a joint venture between News Corp. and NBC Universal, and which offers a wide variety of TV shows and movies to watch.

The only drawbacks so far are availability and content.

The new sections are currently limited to users from the US, probably over copyright squabbling, but it does say that it hopes to expand to other regions "as soon as possible."

As for content, it lacks the selection of movies that Hulu has been able to hone so far with titles like "Sexy Beast," which I highly, highly recommend by the way, "Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie," or "Three O’Clock High" to name a few. YouTube so far only answers with "The Mod Squad" and "St Elmo’s Fire."

It also doesn’t compare to Hulu when it comes to TV shows either. Hulu has "Heroes," "The Simpsons," "24," "The Office," and my all-time favorite "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia," and tons more. YouTube has mainly older fare like "Alf," "Charlie’s Angels," and ‘NewsRadio."

But, I can’t complain. Another legal streaming site on the block just means more viewing options, and perhaps in time it’ll have a better selection to choose from.

Stay tuned.

jared@zeropaid.com

Full post as published by ZeroPaid on April 23, 2009 (boomark / email).