YouTube has announced it is launching a paid subscription service for premium videos channels. 

Pay-per-view

“Today, there are more than 1 million channels generating revenue on YouTube, and one of the most frequent requests we hear from these creators behind them is for more flexibility in monetizing and distributing content,” the company wrote in a blog post.

So far, just over 50 publishers are able to offer subscriptions, with content ranging from Sesame Street to National Geographic. It is expected this list will grow, depending on the public's appetite to pay for previously free content. YouTube appears confident they've got the mix right.

“This is just the beginning. We'll be rolling paid channels out more broadly in the coming weeks as a self-service feature for qualifying partners,” YouTube explained.

Is the price right?

YouTube says the subscription fees have been introduced to fund increased video content, including television shows and feature films. Of course, the fees will also provide a tidy new revenue stream for Google-owned platform.

Pricing starts at US$0.99 per channel per month, with premium channels such as FIx My Hog costing US$6.99 per month. Users can pay via credit card or Google Wallet.

Rumour mill

Speculation that YouTube would monetise is not new. Vimeo already allows creators to charge for premium content.

With a billion monthly unique views and online video becoming an increasingly important of marketing campaigns, it was only a matter of time before Google grabbed a bigger slice of the video pie.

YouTube creators wishing to establish a paid channel can fill out a form here.

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