For the first time, YouTube is allowing its American users
to watch thousands of free, ad-supported episodes of popular TV shows. YouTube
has announced the release of episodes from shows such as Hell's Kitchen and
Unsolved Mysteries, putting them in direct conflict with broadcast television
and streaming services.
Fans may expect roughly 4, 000 free TV episodes to be added
to the 1, 500 films currently accessible on YouTube this month. Of course,
YouTube allows fans to watch films like Gone in Sixty Seconds, Runaway Bride,
and Legally Blonde for free in the United States, but only with commercials.
The portal taps into the binge-watching habit that many streaming services,
such as Netflix, rely on to achieve popularity, by delivering hundreds of
episodes from numerous series.
This move marks yet another attempt for YouTube to compete
with other platforms on content. There is no word on if this initiative will
expand beyond the US.