http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOE1HFEL8XA&sns=fb
Google Is Totally Revamping YouTube To Make It More Like TV
December 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
YouTube unveiled the biggest redesign in its history today, with the goal of making the Internet video service work and look a lot more like TV. 
The goal of the redesign, which was leaked last week, is to get users to spend more time at the site, while also earning more money from advertisers.
It’s all part of Google’s plan to turn YouTube’s three billion video views per day — and three billion monetized views (that is, videos with ads) per week — into a major profit center. The company has never disclosed revenue figures for YouTube, but outside sources estimate it will garner about $1.6 billion in revenue this year.
The redesign focuses YouTube around channels instead of individual videos. Any user will be able to create their own channel, then post their own videos or curate them from around YouTube.
The user-created channels will be treated no differently than channels from professional sources like Thomson Reuters or Madonna. Last month, Google announced more than 100 new exclusive YouTube video channels, and it spent more than $100 million to seed those channels.
The design puts these channels front and center on the home page, and users will be able to pin up to 10 favorites to their personalized home page. A new channels browsing experience will recommend new channels based on past viewing habits.
The other major change is a new type of advertising model called TrueView, where advertisers will pay only if users actually engage with their ads. Pre-roll video ads will come with a “skip” button; if users skip, the advertiser doesn’t pay.
The idea is that this will encourage advertisers to make more relevant ads - Google demonstrated a surfing-based advertisement for GoPro cameras running right before a video of a surfing competition.
Google also unveiled the YouTube app for Xbox Live, which Microsoft first announced earlier this summer. Users will have to link their Xbox Live Gamertag to their YouTube ID manually via YouTube’s Web site, but once they do that, the Xbox YouTube screen will show them a selection of video channels they’re likely to be interested in based on past viewing habits.
YouTube channels are also a big part of the Google TV redesign unveiled last month.
Europe Is Getting Ready To Throw The Book At Google
December 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The European Union will serve Google with a 400-page Statement of Objections in its antitrust investigation early next year. That’s the next step in a legal action that could end with Google being fined up to 10% of its annual revenue. 
The EU launched its investigation in November 2010. It’s looking into complaints from competitors that Google favors its own sites in organic search results.
The Statement of Objections is a formal document laying out the results of the investigation. (It is not usually disclosed to the public.) Next, Google could try to respond to the complaint by changing its behavior and reaching a settlement. But if it feels that the results are unfair, Google could try and fight the case.
If Google doesn’t settle, the EU can fine it up to 10% of its revenues until the violations are fixed or Google wins on appeal.
Google Chairman Eric Schmidt is reportedly flying to Brussels for a “courtesy meeting” with the head of the European Commission next week, where he’s expected to discuss Google’s acquisition of Motorola.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/europe-is-getting-ready-to-throw-the-book-at-google-2011-12
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