YouTube has entered the so-called streaming wars.
The company has launched a new feature, Primetime Channels, that allows users to subscribe to streaming services through their platform. Among the streaming services available at launch are Showtime, Starz, Paramount+, AMC+ and ViX+, with NBA League Pass coming soon.
The new feature expands YouTube’s sales of movies and TV series from entertainment partners.
The feature also will be integrated with user-uploaded content, making it simpler for users to switch from watching a trailer to buying access through a streaming service. The types of videos that YouTube recommends to consumers will also be influenced by viewing habits on Primetime Channels.
“People already come to YouTube to watch trailers for highly anticipated movies, or clips of scenes from their favorite TV episodes. Now you can continue watching directly on YouTube,” Erin Teague, director of product management of YouTube, wrote in a blog post. “And you will continue to have choice and control over your accounts with the ability to manage all of them in one place.”
Subscribers will also get access to trailers, behind-the-scenes footage and cast interviews.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with YouTube to offer customers of Paramount+ another way to stream the content they love,” Jeff Shultz, chief strategy officer and business development officer at Paramount Streaming, said in a statement. “This new feature gives us the opportunity to expand our presence on YouTube, broadening our reach and giving consumers even more choice when it comes to streaming the best in entertainment.”