YouTube launches UK TV section with more than 60 partners

YouTube has launched a new shows section for UK users as it taps into rising online demand for full-length television programmes.

The new section provides the first shows from a landmark deal with Channel 4 announced last month and will include full-length episodes of Peep Show, Hollyoaks, Gordon Ramsay's F Word and Jamie at Home. Shows from other media partners include Dead Ringers, ITN News and Baywatch.

At launch, YouTube is posting around 5,000 videos, of which almost 4,000 are full-length programmes, from more than 60 partners. YouTube said it "expects this to significantly increase in the coming months" and the full range of Channel 4 shows will be available in early 2010.

For established broadcasters, including Channel 4, partnering with YouTube is a response to the trend of both viewers and advertisers leaving television channels for the internet. Channel 4 is hoping that posting content on YouTube can bring in new advertising revenues.

All programmes on the shows section will be available free of charge and, where the content owner has enabled it, they will carry advertising. Channel 4's shows will feature advertisers including Virgin Media, Universal, Orange, Samsung and Pepsi.

Patrick Walker, YouTube's video partnerships director, said the launch would bring more big-brand programmes to viewers on top of the site's home-made clips.

"The shows section of the site will make it easier for users to discover videos from the biggest names in British broadcasting, and help our content partners reach new audiences and generate new revenues," he said.

Google, YouTube's parent company, has been working hard to convince the rights holders of music, film and TV shows to make advertising revenue from their content rather than remove it from the video-sharing site for breach of copyright.

By putting advertising with clips, YouTube makes money from revenue sharing deals with the rights holders.

That trend is bringing YouTube a badly needed increase in revenues. Three years after Google bought the video sharing site for $1.65bn, it has yet to turn a profit and there are concerns the division is devouring the internet group's cash reserves.

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