YouTube is coming up with original programming in various parts of the world.
Senior executive head of Alphabet Inc’s YouTube informed that this initiative is taken to try to draw customers to YouTube’s paid subscription service by composing scripted series and original programming for international markets including France, Japan, Mexico, Germany, and India.
“The programming will feature various genre such as music, documentaries, reality show, talk show and scripted series”, Susanne Daniels, YouTube’s global head of original programming reported in an interview. She also added that the series will be produced in local languages and subtitled or dubbed for other markets.
The programming will be accessible in two forms, one on the YouTube Premium, the monthly subscription service previously called YouTube Red and other content will be available on YouTube free service with advertising.
Daniels said, “We are focusing markets where we believe we have a marvelous upside in potential subscribers”. YouTube has already released a number of original shows in South Korea and India. Daniels also said that a YouTube reality show that starred K-pop giants Big Bang had boosted subscriptions, with 50% of the customers being from other countries and not South Korea.
This new feature of YouTube will be competing with giants like Amazon Inc. and Netflix Inc. who are already investing in local language programming and have already garnered a very wide online audience all over the world.
There are no plans for children’s programming at current as the company doesn’t believe that children content will drive subscriptions to YouTube Premium, Daniels said.