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YouTube will start selling subscription streaming services operated by third-parties, taking on Amazon and Roku in the space.
The streaming platform on Tuesday said it will launch what it is calling “Primetime Channels,” allowing users to subscribe to streaming services through their platform. Among the streaming services available at launch are Paramount+, Starz, AMC+, Showtime and ViX+, with NBA League Pass coming soon.
YouTube already sells purchases and rentals of films and TV shows from entertainment partners, and the new product expands that to streaming services.
However, YouTube’s Primetime Channels offering comes with a twist: Users that subscribe through the platform will see content from those streaming services incorporated into YouTube’s apps and platform. The programming from the services will also be incorporated into YouTube’s search and recommendations functionality, with suggested programming appearing alongside content from YouTube creators.
“People already come to YouTube to watch trailers for highly anticipated movies, or clips of scenes from their favorite TV episodes. Now you can continue watching directly on YouTube,” Teague writes. “And you will continue to have choice and control over your accounts with the ability to manage all of them in one place.”
Subscribers will also get access to behind-the-scenes features and cast interviews, among other bonus content.
By incorporating third-party streaming content into the YouTube interface, the streaming giant could turn off some services like Apple TV+, Disney+ or Netflix, which take pride in their own user experiences.
Amazon and Roku also sell third-party subscriptions, and while subscribers can access their content through those platforms, they also grant access to the dedicated apps from those streaming partners.
In a blog post announcing the launch, YouTube director of product management Erin Teague writes that Primetime Channels is an “early version” of the product and will be U.S. only for the time being.