Google has entered the US linear broadcast market with the launch of YouTube TV.
For $35 a month, the service will offer live streaming from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, regional sports networks and a number of cable networks – as well as local sports and news channels depending on location.
YouTube TV will work on a cloud DVR with no storage limits, meaning users will be able to record an unlimited amount of content – and as many shows as they wish, simultaneously – without using up any data space on mobile devices.
Content can be stored for up to nine months.
In a blog post, YouTube said: “There’s no question that people love TV, from live sports to breaking news to sitcoms and dramas. But the truth is, there are a lot of limitations in how to watch TV today.
“Unlike online video, people can’t watch TV when they want, on any screen and on their terms, without commitments. Consumers have made it clear that they want live TV without all the hassle. They don’t want to worry about their DVR filling up. They don’t want to miss a great game or their favorite show because they’re on the go. They tell us they want TV to be more like YouTube.”
YouTube TV will work across mobile (iOS and Android), tablet, computer and Chromecast-compatible TVs.
Every membership will come with six accounts, each with its own unique recommendations and personal DVR with no storage limits, allowing users to watch up to three concurrent streams at a time.
YouTube said the service will be available “soon” in the largest U.S. markets, with further expansion planned in due course.
“The announcement that YouTube will be launching its own live television streaming service is unsurprising, given the shift towards on-demand TV that has been driven by industry leader Netflix,” said Darren Khan, UK & European MD, Genero.
“Crucially, as consumers shift towards on-demand video that increasingly sits on social media such as YouTube and Facebook, advertisers will be quick to get a slice of the younger online market – so often a tricky customer to permeate. Thus brands will face the challenge of having to quickly transform their own approach to create ad content that thrives on the smorgasbord of new platforms.
“YouTube poses a real threat to traditional cable television, but for brand leaders it offers huge opportunities to create ads that the younger YouTube audience actually wants to see.”
