Original Blog Entry: YouTube to Pay Cash for New Videos

truesee — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:49:02 GMT

YouTube to allow creators to cash in on their 15 minutes of viral fame

YouTube is giving all amateur video-makers the chance to profit from their 15 minutes of internet fame.

By Rupert Neate

Published: 11:27AM BST 26 Aug 2009

Youtube will enable anyone who creates a popular video to collect a share of advertising generated from their clips. Photo: BLOOMBERG

The Google-owned website will enable anyone who creates a popular video, from funny dancing to home movies and stunts like Parkour to collect a share of advertising generated from their clips.

YouTube has extended its Partnership Program, which allows already allows certain prolific creators the opportunity to share in advertising revenue, to the maker of any successful one-off video.

Shenaz Zack, YouTube's product manager, said: Now, when you upload a video to YouTube that accumulates lots of views, we may invite you to monetise that video and start earning revenue from it.

Users whose videos YouTube deems eligible will receive an email asking if they want their video to be monetised. If they agree, YouTube will show ads alongside those videos and the creator will receive a share of the revenue every month. YouTube has declined to state how many viewers a video must attract before it qualifies.

Several members of the Partnership Program have collected so much money from their YouTube clips that they have been able to quit their day jobs in order to make videos full-time.

Lauren Luke, a 27-year-old from Newcastle who dropped out school at 15, is on course to become a millionaire thanks to her popularity on YouTube.

Miss Luke who gives tips on make-up and cosmetics is one of the most popular personalities on YouTube. Through her fame on the site Miss Luke has created her own make-up brand and is using her expertise to publish books and video games.

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