In order to compete with the likes of Netflix, several years ago, YouTube announced YouTube Originals. This is basically where YouTube helps to fund and produce original content for its platform that would only be available to those who are subscribed to its YouTube Premium service.
However, fast forward several years later, it looks like YouTube is calling it quits. In a letter posted onto Twitter, Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer at YouTube, announced that YouTube Originals will be coming to an end. According to Kyncl, it seems that the company will now take their resources and invest it in other areas of the platform such as Creator Shorts Fund, Black Voices Fund, and Live Shopping.
An update on YouTube Originals: pic.twitter.com/PixhgZ2yhU
— Robert Kyncl (@rkyncl) January 18, 2022
Kyncl also revealed that another reason for shutting the program down is due to the departure of Susanne Daniels, the Global Head of Originals, so combining that with other factors has led the company to decide to scrap its Originals. YouTube will still produce original content, but those will fall under its Black Voices and YouTube Kids Funds
The company is also expected to complete production on shows that were already ordered and are in the process of being made prior to this announcement, but don’t expect anything new or major after that.
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