YouTube developing free original shows with Kevin Hart, Ellen DeGeneres & others
Possibly concerned about the growing amount of original video on competiting services like Netflix, Hulu, and Apple Music, Google's YouTube has announced plans to premiere six new shows, starring people like Ellen DeGeneres and comedian Kevin Hart.
While DeGeneres will simply offer a behind-the-scenes look at her talk show, Hart will star in "What the Fit," in which he tries different workouts along with celebrity guests, reported.
Ryan Seacrest will meanwhile take charge of "Best.Cover.Ever," a music competition. Established YouTube celebrities Rhett & Link will expand on "Good Mythical Morning" with more guests, correspondents, and challenges, while a series with singer Demi Lovato will cover the writing and recording of a new album.
YouTube is planning to fund over 40 original shows and movies in the next year at a cost of hundreds of millions, one Bloomberg source said.
The company is also said to be spending more money on content for YouTube Red, which on top of original shows offers ad-free viewing, offline and background playback, and a Google Play Music subscription. The Bloomberg source indicated that YouTube has been talking with partners about Red shows budgeted between $3 million and $6 million per hour, on par with what some HBO and Showtime productions cost.
That could make Red more competitive with services like Netflix and Hulu, which spend HBO-like budgets on shows such as "Stranger Things" and "The Handmaid's Tale." Red has so far relied on the appeal of independent creators, and simply being able to use YouTube uninterrupted.
Apple's video efforts are still in early stages. The company is expected to have up to 10 shows and documentaries by the end of 2017, including "Carpool Karaoke," "Planet of the Apps," and films about Bad Boy Records, Clive Davis, and Cash Money Records. "iOS 11" may even feature a redesigned Music app designed to highlight video.
While DeGeneres will simply offer a behind-the-scenes look at her talk show, Hart will star in "What the Fit," in which he tries different workouts along with celebrity guests, reported.
Ryan Seacrest will meanwhile take charge of "Best.Cover.Ever," a music competition. Established YouTube celebrities Rhett & Link will expand on "Good Mythical Morning" with more guests, correspondents, and challenges, while a series with singer Demi Lovato will cover the writing and recording of a new album.
YouTube is planning to fund over 40 original shows and movies in the next year at a cost of hundreds of millions, one Bloomberg source said.
The company is also said to be spending more money on content for YouTube Red, which on top of original shows offers ad-free viewing, offline and background playback, and a Google Play Music subscription. The Bloomberg source indicated that YouTube has been talking with partners about Red shows budgeted between $3 million and $6 million per hour, on par with what some HBO and Showtime productions cost.
That could make Red more competitive with services like Netflix and Hulu, which spend HBO-like budgets on shows such as "Stranger Things" and "The Handmaid's Tale." Red has so far relied on the appeal of independent creators, and simply being able to use YouTube uninterrupted.
Apple's video efforts are still in early stages. The company is expected to have up to 10 shows and documentaries by the end of 2017, including "Carpool Karaoke," "Planet of the Apps," and films about Bad Boy Records, Clive Davis, and Cash Money Records. "iOS 11" may even feature a redesigned Music app designed to highlight video.
Comments
Maybe their intention is just to dip their toes in the market before committing to a head-first dive into production. If so, I wonder if it's a good idea? First impressions are lasting, and it seems like it would be harder to build an audience after a blah start. Better to come out of the gate with a big, splashy, attention-grabbing show. Then even if growth is slow, at least viewers will have formed a positive impression of the service.
Or maybe this is the result of the executive team being populated with music-centric, teen-market-oriented skill sets, and they think this is what people want.
Maybe they're right and I'm just not in the target demographic.
https://www.google.com/amp/www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4287870/amp/Claims-say-Apple-looking-buy-studio.html
And while I appreciate that Apple is only dipping it's toes into those waters it's not at all an auspicious move, with their Car Pool program. I thought Cordon's version was amazing, and not having him in it is disappointing, just like the American version Top Gear. Granted, not having seen it, I could be blown away when it finally debuts. As of now I'm heavily managing my expectations.
To me, Car Pool is Apple opening the door to original content, just a crack and asking 'Can I play too?' instead of throwing it open with something great and saying 'How do you like me NOW!' But it's a music show and Apple wants to shine a light on Apple Music.
if any of them turn out to be decent- I guess I'll wait for rips to post, sans commercials & check it out.
At this point in my life, it's been well over two decades since I've subjected myself to the grating annoyance of advertising, as a trade off to view programming. I literally cannot imagine what would convince me to go back.
If you're okay with only ever watching whatever people post free to YouTube for fun or vanity, you're good. If you want Game of Thrones or other, similar quality content that is expensive to produce, your approach is actually contrary to your own best interests.
Or even interesting. Just because I like a song, that doesn't mean I care about the process of making it or the personalities behind it. In fact, I usually like a song IN SPITE of the personalities behind it
However that's their core competency -- Netflix = "good things to watch". Apple's core is awesome gadgets, so I'm less concerned if they dip their toes slowly into content. It doesn't really matter...I see it as a hobby interest and not any kind of bet-the-company offering.
That only matters to people like you and me if we consider a thriving TV production division at Apple to be something we want. There aren't enough of us loyalists to make it successful -- it takes a lot of subscribers to generate the revenue required to produce high-quality shows -- so those who care whether or not it succeeds also care how Apple handles the roll-out. If one doesn't really care whether or not the service ultimately succeeds, how it starts doesn't matter.