YouTube launches pilot program for subscription based channels, broader rollout in coming weeks, starts at $0.99/month, 14 day trials

Mark Gurman

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Following weeks of rumors, YouTube has launched a pilot program for subscription-based YouTube channels. Subscription rates will begin at 99¢ per month, but all plans include a 14 day free trial for YouTube channel viewers. YouTube says that a broader rollout will occur in the coming weeks.

Starting today, we’re launching a pilot program for a small group of partners that will offer paid channels on YouTube with subscription fees starting at $0.99 per month. Every channel has a 14-day free trial, and many offer discounted yearly rates. For example, Sesame Street will be offering full episodes on their paid channel when it launches. And UFC fans can see classic fights, like a full version of their first event from UFC’s new channel. You might run into more of these channels across YouTube. Once you subscribe from a computer, you’ll be able to watch paid channels on your computer, phone, tablet and TV, and soon you’ll be able to subscribe to them from more devices.

YouTube channel owners that are interested in participating can fill out a Google-provided form. 

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Google updates Hangouts On Air: Rewind & autoplay live broadcasts, higher quality video & faster YouTube uploads

Jordan Kahn

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Google has updated Google+ today with a couple notable and highly requested new features for Hangouts on Air users. The first big new feature is the ability to rewind live broadcasts, allowing users to navigate back to the beginning of a broadcast regardless of when they started watching. Other improvements include higher quality video for those joining Hangouts on Air from a mobile device, as well new auto-playing broadcasts that don’t require users to refresh the page when aHangout starts.

Google did note that “it may take longer to set up your Hangout On Air. For example: the ‘Start broadcasting’ button may be grayed out for a bit, before it turns red.” That change is to provide users with enough time to get everything in place before starting the Hangout.

Google appears to have been able to implement the changes by now processing the video in real-time rather than after the fact, which also means it’s promising Hangouts will be instantly uploaded and ready to watch on YouTube the second you go off air:
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Talking Schmidt: YouTube has already won the battle with TV

Zac Hall
Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google / via telegraph.co.uk

Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google / via telegraph.co.uk

In recent months Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has proven himself a spokesperson worthy of making the headlines.

From singing the praises of his BlackBerry (no, I didn’t misspell Android) to claiming Apple is holding out on approving Google Now for iOS (turns out that wasn’t accurate), we couldn’t resist debuting our new series, Talking Schmidt, where we bring you the latest zingers from the chairman himself.

In the premier installment of Talking Schmidt, we will unpack the chairman’s recent claim that YouTube has defeated your TV in the competition for your attention.

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MLB starts live streaming games on YouTube for international viewers

Jordan Kahn

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According to a post on the YouTube Google+ page today MLB fans are about to get access to free live streams in addition to highlights and other content. The only catch is the free live streaming, which is limited to two live games per day, will only be available to viewers outside the US, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

The updated MLB YouTube page, however, also includes a bunch of new content that WILL be accessible to viewers in all countries. Among them is highlights from regular season MLB games a day or two after airing, as well as “tens of thousands of hours of archived games dating back to 1952, clips from Baseballs Best Classics and Best Moments, and more.”