A curious NY Post “exclusive” reports: “YouTube (NSDQ: GOOG) is eager to launch an unlimited subscription service for movies similar to Netflix (NSDQ: NFLX) and Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN) and is considering starting it overseas to cut down on the competition.
“The search giant, which has been in talks with Hollywood studios for months, is looking to launch the streaming service first in Europe, in particular the UK, before expanding to the US.”
But a YouTube UK spokesperson tells paidContent:UK: “Today, YouTube is focused on building out and improving its current US-based rental offering. While we aim to always push all of our products out globally to our community, we have no plans to launch a European rentals service in the near future.”
Of course, YouTube already launched movie rentals in the States last year and now has a small selection of titles, though little major fare.
Characteristically, YouTube places online a small selection of titles whilst trying for major-studio rights. In the UK last August, YouTube added a free-to-view selection of low-end movies from small-scale rights owners but, again, no premium titles.
None of which means it’s not trying for major-studio rights, of course.
In fact, we’d be surprised if YouTube left the catalogue at what is, right now, rather sub-standard fare. It’s likely put in the shop window the limited selection it does have purely to demonstrate to rights owners what may be possible.