Google Eyeing UK YouTube Movie Streaming

From DailyTech: Google has long been working to turn YouTube into to a content portal that has more than just user-generated videos and has been in talks with Hollywood for years on content deals.

The NY Post reports that sources close to Google indicate that the search giant is eyeing a launch for a new movie service in the UK. The source claims that the reason the UK is being looked at is that Google sees less competition in that market right now. The service would reportedly come to the U.S. later.

Entry into movie streaming market by Google would put it in competition with current players like Netflix, Blockbuster, and UK firms like LoveFilm. According to the sources cited by the NY Post, Google has $100 million earmarked for landing deals with studios and premium content providers.

The NY Post quotes an unnamed Hollywood executive stating, "Google is going to be launching channels in Europe and will launch a subscription video-on-demand service. They are going to spend $100 million on content."

Google may be finding the road harder to walk than some of its competitors thanks to the history between it and major studios like Viacom owned Paramount. Viacom sued Google and YouTube over alleged piracy. The alleged piracy was Paramount and Viacom content that had been posted by YouTube users. Google and YouTube eventually won that suit, but Viacom is appealing the decision.

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