YouTube adds thousands of movies for rent online

YouTube is beefing up its roster of movies for “rent” online in the US to woo viewers away from television and take on booming internet service Netflix.

“You’re spending just 15 minutes a day on YouTube, and spending five hours a day watching TV,” YouTube head Salar Kamangar said in a post at the Google-owned video-sharing website.

“As the lines between online and offline continue to blur, we think that’s going to change.”

In addition to expanding its online movie roster, YouTube was increasing support for “partners” who create amateur clips that are attracting “TV-sized” audiences at the website, according to Mr Kamangar.

Approximately two billion video views are logged daily at YouTube, which is available on 350 million devices, he noted.

“Whether it’s short movie trailers, funny movie parodies or full-length blockbuster films, we encourage you to sit back and settle in to the YouTube movies experience,” Mr Kamangar said.

Movies available for streaming as online rentals at YouTube had been mostly older titles but the Google-owned technology firm has been collaborating with Hollywood studios to find ways to make fresh films available.

YouTube said that it is broadening its rental service at youtube.com/movies with new films from Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, Universal, Lionsgate Films and “many great independent studios”.

“It is a natural progression for YouTube,” said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

“Google recognises that this is becoming a content war,” he continued. “Netflix right now is the company to beat with regard to online video.”

Netflix reported that its net profit nearly doubled during the first quarter, when it added 3.6 million new subscribers for a total of 23.6 million.

Google has been striving to win the trust of movie studios fearful of losing control of digital content on the Internet.

New releases will cost $3.99 to rent while library titles will cost $2.99, YouTube product marketing manager Camille Hearst said in a blog post.

People will have 30 days to watch rentals, needing to finish a movie within 24 hours from when viewing is started.

The list of titles being added to YouTube included Inception and King’s Speech as well as Green Hornet and Despicable Me.

“In addition to the hundreds of free movies available on the site since 2009, you will be able to find and rent some of your favourite films,” Mr Hearst said.