YouTube

YouTube is an Internet video sharing website. Anyone may view most YouTube videos by simply visiting the site, but must sign up for a free account to view videos of offensive or adult nature, leave comments or upload videos.

On October 10, 2008, an unprecedented deal was announced in which CBS TV programs would be broadcast in their entirety on YouTube.¹

Fast Facts

1. Sold to Google for $1.65 billion on October 9, 2006; the deal was finalized November 13, 2006²
2. Searching Google Video yields both Google Video and YouTube results
3. First video, entitled "Me at the zoo" was uploaded at 8:27PM on Saturday April 23, 2005³
4. YouTube videos can be accessed via the iPhone and iPod mobile devices
5. In March of 2008, YouTube introduced the YouTube Insight tool to allow uploaders to track who views their videos

Creation

YouTube was originally founded in February, 2005 by former PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. First started in a garage, the venture grew over the next several months, securing a $8.5 million investment from Sequoia Capital in 2005.⁴

Popularity

In, 2006, YouTube videos accounted for an estimated 60% of the online viewing market. The company revealed in July of 2006 that over 100 million videos were being watched daily and over 65,000 videos were being uploaded each month.⁵

Controversy

Several countries including Iran, Turkey, Morocco, China, Brazil and Pakistan have banned YouTube for periods of time for violations of local laws. Many schools also have banned YouTube from their classrooms due to inappropriate and violent content of the videos.⁶

CBS Deal

In an agreement that blurs the line between television and online content, episodes of CBS shows will reportedly be aired in their entirety--complete with commercials--on YouTube.¹ The programs will include Dexter, Star Trek, The Young and the Restless, Beverly Hills 90210 and Californication.^{1 7}

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