YouTube U.K. Gets Full-Length Shows

LONDON: YouTube is making full-length episodes of series such as Hollyoaks and Gordon Ramsay’s F Word available to U.K. viewers through its new "Shows" section. 

The new section provides the first shows from a deal with Channel 4 announced last month. At launch, YouTube is posting around 5,000 videos, of which almost 4,000 are full-length programs, from more than 60 partners. YouTube said it "expects this to significantly increase in the coming months" and the full range of Channel 4 shows will be available in early 2010. Channel 4’s shows will feature advertisers including Virgin Media, Universal, Orange, Samsung and Pepsi.

Patrick Walker, the director of video partnerships for YouTube, said, “The Shows section will make it easier for users to discover videos from the biggest names in British broadcasting, and help our content partners reach new audiences and generate new revenues.”