YouTube Announces Dozens of Original Content Channels in Challenge to Television

YouTube Unveils Original Content Channels in Challenge to TV

YouTube announced plans to create dozens of channels with original content on Friday, creating an online challenge to the television experience and the video giants official leap into high-quality programming.

“Today, the Web is bringing us entertainment from an even wider range of talented producers, and many of the defining channels of the next generation are being born, and watched, on YouTube,” Robert Kyncl, YouTube’s global head of content partnerships, wrote in a blog post.

YouTube unveiled numerous high-profile names among the channel producers, including Jay-Z, Amy Poehler and Ashton Kutcher.

Among the producers announced as having channels were Reuters, Electus, Slate and The Wall Street Journal. (Electus had several channels.)

In touting its plans, the site posted notice that it would be offering channels created “by well-known personalities and content producers as well as some of the most innovative up-and-coming media companies and some of YouTube’ own existing partners.”

The news had been in the air. The Wall Street Journal had earlier written that Google had shelled out more than $100 million to partners to start producing content.

Among the dozens of channels debuting are:

>> Awesomeness, from Brian Robbins, the producer of Smallville;

>> Car and Driver Television;

>>Life and Times, from the rap star Jay-Z;

>> A pop culture channel from producer Ben Silverman featuring Nicole Richie and Justin Long.

>>Smart Girls at the Party with Amy Poehler, Meredith Walker and Amy Miles

>>Thrash Lab from Ashton Kutcher

The new channels provide the long-missing monetization piece for YouTube, providing content against which the Google-owned site can sell advertising.

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