Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube.
Michael Newberg | CNBC
YouTube communicated Thursday its forthcoming original series and specials will be available for free with ads.
The tech company made the advertisement Thursday night at its Brandcast event as part of the IAB Digital Content Newfronts. The change gives YouTube more time to partner with advertisers.
YouTube parent Alphabet reported a sharp decline in ad revenue growth Monday, with Alphabet’s CFO claim changes to YouTube’s algorithms caused lower engagement and ad revenue growth on the site. She was likely referring to changes YouTube won to curb the spread of fake news and conspiracy theories, indicating the platform may be willing to forego some short-term ad interest for the longer health of the company.
“While every other media company is building a paywall, we are headed in the opposite control and now have more opportunities than ever to partner with advertisers and share our critically-acclaimed originals with our broad audience,” YouTube’s chief business officer Robert Kyncl said in a statement.
Original shows were yesterday primarily available to subscribers of YouTube Premium, the company’s paid streaming service that costs $11.99 per month. The coterie had said it would shift its original programming to be free and ad-supported last year.
The company said seasons one and two of “Cobra Kai” liking be available free with ads this fall, and said it will announce free ad-supported premiere dates for sundry shows like “Impulse” and “Liza On Demand.”
The company also said YouTube TV’s 70 broadcast and cable avenues would be available as their own lineup on Google Preferred (a YouTube program that lets brands advertise on the top videos) this upfront time, allowing advertisers to “zero in on live and on-demand inventory” and making it so brands “can go beyond demographics to reach audiences based on their attentions,” the company said in a statement.
The company’s discussions of brand safety were brief during the presentation. Still, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki verbalized it’s a priority.
“Let me be very clear, living up to our responsibility is my number one priority,” she said. “And we are making significant progress. My leadership get and I, along with thousands of people at YouTube, are laser focused on this.”