YouTube has started screening full 50-minute episodes of the Star Trek series - 5 of them to be precise - heralding a new era in content advertising.
The videos comprise of a 15-second pre-roll ad section with mid-roll and post-roll ads joining in as well.
CBS Networks -- the network with rights for the episodes -- have also added a couple of episodes of Beverly Hills, Mac Gyver and The Young and the Restless; all supported by advertising.
Google seems to me focusing on YouTube this year to increase revenue. With the exception of litigant Viacom, Google has been trying hard to strengthen its relationship with major studios and it seems to be working - at least from what we can see.
These episodes are differentiated from "standard" YouTube fare with a filmstrip icon, which is used to tag these. There is also a "Theater View" now that will show the ads a bit more prominently.
This is apart from the "lights out" mode, which will retain the traditional YouTube interface - albeit with a darker screen and brighter ads.
The quality is acceptable and this will certainly be a boon for those who have an iPhone or the likes so they can watch their favorite shows while on the move!
Link:
CBS playlist to have a look at the videos.
