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YouTube proposes to charge fees for certain channels

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Take my money YouTube
Take my money YouTube

By Caleb Gasteiger |Staff Writer|

YouTube plans to charge a fee for certain videos and channels even though the plan comes under fire from many of its users.

A fee of $0.99 cents or more could be charged for viewing certain channels that would incorporate TV shows and films, along with only-for-YouTube series and events, according to a YouTube spokesperson to Mobileentertainment.

“It’s a bad move on their part,” said Dr. Ahlam Muhtaseb, a professor at CSUSB and social media expert.

“You create a culture where people are used to accessing free things and then when you change that, you are going to have problems,” she said.

This decision does not bode well for many users of the free website and it is showing up in the form of online petitions against the change on change.org.

Significant numbers of blogs protest even the thought of these fees.

“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,” YouTube said in a statement on Monday published by Mobileentertainment.

“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,” YouTube said.

Gabriel Palacios, a CSUSB junior and frequent YouTube user, shares Muhtaseb’s feelings but for a different reason. “I think it’s dumb. I mean we are going to find our way around it anyways,” Palacios said.

“We will find a way to watch what we […] want for free because that’s what YouTube was.”

For instance, people started moving to Google+ when Skype began charging for video group video conferencing. “My favorite text-based application for my phone started charging to use it … so my family and I switched to another because there are so many other options for free,” Muhtaseb said of changing from one platform to another.

According to a YouTube spokesperson, this will only be an experiment to see how the logistics could work for the new fees.

YouTube’s hope is to bolster better relations between their site and many TV networks and movie producers in Hollywood.

It is projected that YouTube will make between 45-55 percent of the generated revenue according to the Dailymail.

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