Bowie video pulled in YouTube error

9 May 2013 Last updated at 09:30 GMT The three-minute video features an abundance of religious imagery David Bowie's latest video, which stars Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard, was temporarily pulled from YouTube over its graphic content.

The Next Day features heavy religious imagery, including Cotillard bleeding from stigmata marks.

YouTube admitted making the "wrong call" in removing the video, and reinstated it with an adult content warning.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey has called the video "juvenile"

Lord Carey told The Telegraph: "If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery perhaps Christians should not worry too much at such an exploitation of religious imagery.

"I doubt that Bowie would have the courage to use Islamic imagery - I very much doubt it.

"Frankly, I don't get offended by such juvenilia - Christians should have the courage to rise above offensive language, although I hope Bowie will recognise that he may be upsetting some people."

The Next Day is taken from Bowie's comeback album of the same name.

The video sees Bowie performing in a basement bar, surrounded by religious figures, while Oldman, dressed as a priest, punches a beggar before dancing with a prostitute, played by Oscar-winner Cotillard.

A spokesman for YouTube said: "With the massive volume of videos on our site, sometimes we make the wrong call. When it's brought to our attention that a video has been removed mistakenly, we act quickly to reinstate it."

Bowie's last video, for The Stars (Are Out Tonight), featured another Oscar-winner, Tilda Swinton.

Oldman previously worked with Bowie in the 1990s, when they performed a duet on guitarist Reeves Gabrels' 1995 album The Sacred Squall of Now.

View the original article here

YouTube launches subscription fees

9 May 2013 Last updated at 20:16 GMT YouTube says it has about one billion unique users to its service each month YouTube has launched a trial scheme for paid channels on its website.

Under the pilot programme, a small number of content makers will offer the channels for subscriptions starting at $0.99 (£0.64) a month.

Each channel will offer a free 14-day trial and many will have discounted annual rates.

Although the initial 53-channel line-up is fairly niche, one expert suggested the move might ultimately squeeze some smaller rivals out of the market.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, said the launch was part of an effort to enable "content creators to earn revenue for their creativity".

For example, the children's television favourite, Sesame Street will offer full episodes on its pay channel when it launches.

Subscribers can pay using either their credit cards or through Google's own Wallet service.

The paid channels involved in the pilot are diverse.

They include National Geographic Kids, Acorn - which provides episodes from several British TV series -and Fix My Hog Premium, which is aimed at Harley Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts.

"This is just the beginning", YouTube said on its blog.

"We'll be rolling paid channels out more broadly in the coming weeks as a self-service feature for qualifying partners.

"And as new channels appear, we'll be making sure you can discover them."

Two of UK’s most popular YouTube stars talk about paid subscriptions on YouTube

Traditional TV turn-off?

The advent of paid channels on YouTube means Google joins Netflix, Hulu and Amazon in offering subscription-based alternatives to traditional pay-TV.

"The wider picture here is that the internet and TV worlds are colliding," Ian Maude, an online media expert at consultants Enders Analysis told the BBC.

"The YouTube move will make it much harder for smaller standalone online subscription-based platforms because Google has the infrastructure to make it easy for content to be hosted, delivered and billed for.

"But it was always inevitable that Google was going to do this."

One billion viewers

Google bought YouTube in 2006 for $1.65bn. The service is believed to generate a small amount of revenue from advertising, but the vast majority of its content has been free-to-watch.

To make itself more attractive to potential advertisers, YouTube has gradually added professional content, such as full-length films and TV shows, to its vast library of amateur videos.

YouTube says a billion people around the world use the service every month.

"If YouTube were a country, we'd be the third largest in the world after China and India," the company said in March.

View the original article here

YouTube launches subscription fees

9 May 2013 Last updated at 20:16 GMT YouTube says it has about one billion unique users to its service each month YouTube has launched a trial scheme for paid channels on its website.

Under the pilot programme, a small number of content makers will offer the channels for subscriptions starting at $0.99 (£0.64) a month.

Each channel will offer a free 14-day trial and many will have discounted annual rates.

Although the initial 53-channel line-up is fairly niche, one expert suggested the move might ultimately squeeze some smaller rivals out of the market.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, said the launch was part of an effort to enable "content creators to earn revenue for their creativity".

For example, the children's television favourite, Sesame Street will offer full episodes on its pay channel when it launches.

Subscribers can pay using either their credit cards or through Google's own Wallet service.

The paid channels involved in the pilot are diverse.

They include National Geographic Kids, Acorn - which provides episodes from several British TV series -and Fix My Hog Premium, which is aimed at Harley Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts.

"This is just the beginning", YouTube said on its blog.

"We'll be rolling paid channels out more broadly in the coming weeks as a self-service feature for qualifying partners.

"And as new channels appear, we'll be making sure you can discover them."

Two of UK’s most popular YouTube stars talk about paid subscriptions on YouTube

Traditional TV turn-off?

The advent of paid channels on YouTube means Google joins Netflix, Hulu and Amazon in offering subscription-based alternatives to traditional pay-TV.

"The wider picture here is that the internet and TV worlds are colliding," Ian Maude, an online media expert at consultants Enders Analysis told the BBC.

"The YouTube move will make it much harder for smaller standalone online subscription-based platforms because Google has the infrastructure to make it easy for content to be hosted, delivered and billed for.

"But it was always inevitable that Google was going to do this."

One billion viewers

Google bought YouTube in 2006 for $1.65bn. The service is believed to generate a small amount of revenue from advertising, but the vast majority of its content has been free-to-watch.

To make itself more attractive to potential advertisers, YouTube has gradually added professional content, such as full-length films and TV shows, to its vast library of amateur videos.

YouTube says a billion people around the world use the service every month.

"If YouTube were a country, we'd be the third largest in the world after China and India," the company said in March.

View the original article here

YouTube star: Charging a 'bad idea'

By Jonathan Blake
Newsbeat Technology Reporter The man behind one of the UK's most popular YouTube channels says charging people to watch videos is "a really bad idea".

Nineteen-year-old JJ has more than two million subscribers to his KSIOlajidebt channel.

He said that whilst the plan, reportedly due to be announced by YouTube, could work for big artists he "won't be doing it any time soon".

YouTube has confirmed it's looking into creating a new "subscription platform".

Continue reading the main story

It's a whole new skill set to develop, to convince people to actually take out their credit card

Robert Kyncl YouTube vice-president

The plan could see content providers such as TV companies making videos available for a monthly fee.

YouTube executives have hinted several times at a plan to launch paid channels.

A spokesperson said YouTube is looking to "provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue".

JJ said charging people to watch his videos would risk alienating his audience.

"I like it that it's free for people to subscribe, whenever you put money in the way it brings conflict and will just bring in this divide," he said.

'Generate revenue'

YouTube allows users in the UK to rent major film titles and US users have been able to buy and rent films and TV episodes since 2008.

It is reported that users could pay as little as $1.99 (£1.28) per month to access videos from certain providers.

YouTube insists the new charging model will benefit those using the site to watch videos, not merely those publishing content.

A spokesperson said the company had nothing to announce at this time but added "We're looking into creating a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to YouTube for our users to enjoy..."

YouTube claims to have one billion unique users to the site each month

They added the new model would "provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content, beyond the rental and ad-supported models we offer."

JJ agrees the move to charge users could be good for YouTube.

"It puts it on a more professional platform and will push TV even further out of the limelight than it already is," he said.

In March, YouTube vice-president Robert Kyncl told reporters: "It's a whole new skill set to develop, to convince people to actually take out their credit card."

YouTube, which is owned by Google, claims it has more than one billion unique users each month.

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter

View the original article here

YouTube star: Charging a 'bad idea'

By Jonathan Blake
Newsbeat Technology Reporter The man behind one of the UK's most popular YouTube channels says charging people to watch videos is "a really bad idea".

Nineteen-year-old JJ has more than two million subscribers to his KSIOlajidebt channel.

He said that whilst the plan, reportedly due to be announced by YouTube, could work for big artists he "won't be doing it any time soon".

YouTube has confirmed it's looking into creating a new "subscription platform".

Continue reading the main story

It's a whole new skill set to develop, to convince people to actually take out their credit card

Robert Kyncl YouTube vice-president

The plan could see content providers such as TV companies making videos available for a monthly fee.

YouTube executives have hinted several times at a plan to launch paid channels.

A spokesperson said YouTube is looking to "provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue".

JJ said charging people to watch his videos would risk alienating his audience.

"I like it that it's free for people to subscribe, whenever you put money in the way it brings conflict and will just bring in this divide," he said.

'Generate revenue'

YouTube allows users in the UK to rent major film titles and US users have been able to buy and rent films and TV episodes since 2008.

It is reported that users could pay as little as $1.99 (£1.28) per month to access videos from certain providers.

YouTube insists the new charging model will benefit those using the site to watch videos, not merely those publishing content.

A spokesperson said the company had nothing to announce at this time but added "We're looking into creating a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to YouTube for our users to enjoy..."

YouTube claims to have one billion unique users to the site each month

They added the new model would "provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content, beyond the rental and ad-supported models we offer."

JJ agrees the move to charge users could be good for YouTube.

"It puts it on a more professional platform and will push TV even further out of the limelight than it already is," he said.

In March, YouTube vice-president Robert Kyncl told reporters: "It's a whole new skill set to develop, to convince people to actually take out their credit card."

YouTube, which is owned by Google, claims it has more than one billion unique users each month.

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter

View the original article here

YouTube star: Charging a 'bad idea'

By Jonathan Blake
Newsbeat Technology Reporter The man behind one of the UK's most popular YouTube channels says charging people to watch videos is "a really bad idea".

Nineteen-year-old JJ has more than two million subscribers to his KSIOlajidebt channel.

He said that whilst the plan, reportedly due to be announced by YouTube, could work for big artists he "won't be doing it any time soon".

YouTube has confirmed it's looking into creating a new "subscription platform".

Continue reading the main story

It's a whole new skill set to develop, to convince people to actually take out their credit card

Robert Kyncl YouTube vice-president

The plan could see content providers such as TV companies making videos available for a monthly fee.

YouTube executives have hinted several times at a plan to launch paid channels.

A spokesperson said YouTube is looking to "provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue".

JJ said charging people to watch his videos would risk alienating his audience.

"I like it that it's free for people to subscribe, whenever you put money in the way it brings conflict and will just bring in this divide," he said.

'Generate revenue'

YouTube allows users in the UK to rent major film titles and US users have been able to buy and rent films and TV episodes since 2008.

It is reported that users could pay as little as $1.99 (£1.28) per month to access videos from certain providers.

YouTube insists the new charging model will benefit those using the site to watch videos, not merely those publishing content.

A spokesperson said the company had nothing to announce at this time but added "We're looking into creating a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to YouTube for our users to enjoy..."

YouTube claims to have one billion unique users to the site each month

They added the new model would "provide our creators with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content, beyond the rental and ad-supported models we offer."

JJ agrees the move to charge users could be good for YouTube.

"It puts it on a more professional platform and will push TV even further out of the limelight than it already is," he said.

In March, YouTube vice-president Robert Kyncl told reporters: "It's a whole new skill set to develop, to convince people to actually take out their credit card."

YouTube, which is owned by Google, claims it has more than one billion unique users each month.

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter

View the original article here