YouTube announced in a blog post today that it’s adding 3,000 new movie titles for rent — the company says it will release more details later today. This after announcing a few weeks ago that it’s investing in up-and-coming talent through YouTube Next. All this means one thing, which YouTube’s Salar Kamangar wrote quite succinctly today:
“You’re finding more and more of the content you love on YouTube, which is now available on 350 million devices. We know this because you’re watching videos to the tune of 2 billion views a day. But you’re spending just 15 minutes a day on YouTube, and spending five hours a day watching TV. As the lines between online and offline continue to blur, we think that’s going to change.”
YouTube wants to move beyond short clips on web and mobile browsers to long-form entertainment and news on the TV screen itself. Its competitors: Netflix, iTunes and Hulu, who are all shaping up to be the “new networks” of television. And to compete, you need content. “By expanding our content partnerships worldwide and stimulating the success of budding filmmakers, artists and entrepreneurs, we’ll ensure that YouTube remains the best place for the world to see and discover rich talent,” writes Kamangar.
Update: The new movies are beginning to appear, including bigger hits like Inception and The King’s Speech. Here’s YouTube’s updated blog post.
