YouTube movie rentals
January 22, 2010
YouTube will make its debut as a movie rental outlet in the US this week to help promote some of the films that will be shown at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
It is part of a test that YouTube hopes will encourage more studios to rent movies through its site, eventually creating a new financial stream.
The first five films available to rent through YouTube will cost $3.99 for a 48-hour viewing period. Movie studios will be able to set their own prices, with rental viewing windows ranging from one to 90 days. YouTube will get an unspecified commission from each rental.