Channel 4 has become the first UK broadcaster to make available a range of its own programmes through the popular video sharing website YouTube.
Along with the entire content of its 4oD video-on-demand "catch-up" service, Channel 4 will also add around 3,000 hours of content from its TV archive with programmes such as Brass Eye, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and Teachers. The material will be made available to UK viewers from early next year.
Recognizing the massive potential of YouTube to expand its audience, Channel 4 is the first UK broadcaster to ease control of its programme distribution in this way.
Although the 4oD service served around 10m streams of full-length programmes in September, with around 365m in the three years since launch, this is dwarfed by YouTube, which serves more than 1bn video streams globally each day.
Andy Duncan, Channel 4's Chief Executive stated: "There is no point in being Canute-like. We have got to go where the consumers are and some members of the public increasingly want to consume programmes online," adding: "It will be a step change in the number of internet viewers we get."
YouTube is becoming an increasingly important element in not only broadcaster strategies but a growing number of manufacturer's ambitions. Samsung has recently announced the integration of YouTube into its Blu-ray players and a number of big names such as Sony and Panasonic make YouTube available through their TV based web services.
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