YouTube Adds 34 Markets To YouTube TV Service

YouTube is adding 34 local markets to its YouTube TV bundled streaming video service, making it available in more than 80 metropolitan areas, the company says.

These new markets include New Orleans, Tucson, Spokane, Wash., Providence, R.I., and Des Moines, Iowa.

YouTube TV is the company’s attempt at creating a “skinny bundle” of television channels, combining local broadcast stations, a limited selection of cable channels and digital video content into one package. It is distinct from its YouTube Red streaming service, though Red original shows are available on YouTube TV.

In order to have local stations included in the service, YouTube has cut deal with media companies' owned and operated stations, like NBCUniversal and 21st Century Fox, as well as independent stations and companies that own stations, like Sinclair Broadcasting and Meredith Corp. 

YouTube TV has had a major push in recent months, including becoming the lead sponsor of Fox’s coverage of the MLB World Series.

The service is also a brand-safe environment for advertisers, with inventory sold against established TV and digital programming, the company claims. YouTube has had problems with brand safety in recent months for many of its user-controlled accounts, with ads appearing next to offensive or objectionable material.

YouTube is hoping to target consumers looking to trim or cut the cord, as well as cord-nevers, who have never before subscribed to a pay-TV service.

 

 
1 comment about "YouTube Adds 34 Markets To YouTube TV Service".
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  1. Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, December 13, 2017 at 11:19 a.m.

    All very interesting---but why is Youtube TV so hesitant about telling us how many subscribers it has? Some estimates place the figure as low as 250,000 and it is likely that YouTube TV's low ball subscription price--$35-40 per month---is insufficient to yeild a profit even if the number of subscribers gets to 1-2 million. This is because YouTube TV must pay an arm and a leg to the content suppliers as well as other costs, including marketing, which, together most likely excede the $35-40 per month garnered per subscriber by about 25%. Eventually, the subscriber price will have to go to $50 per month for the venture to break even and higher for YouTube to make a profit. As for luring TV ad dollars, you are not going to get much interest if you have only a small number of subscribers and even if YouTube TV gets to the 2 million subs level, it will not make much of a dent where ad sales are concerned. The average minute audience per placement---about 10,000 viewers---- will just be too small to impress most  national advertisers.

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