Google is launching YouTube’s desi version by Q1 2008.
YouTube India will aggregate Indian video content – specifically movie trailers, music videos, independent films and television content.
“YouTube.com has over 300,000 videos being uploaded every day,” Seth said. “Indian content obviously gets lost in this sea of videos. A YouTube.in site will help Indian surfers to get what they want. It will also be an excellent platform for young filmmakers to launch their work. All they have to do is create a channel to drive traffic to their videos.” (source)
As a starter, YouTube has tied up with Eros International (which seems to be in partnership spree these days) and will showcase new releases (trailers/music videos etc) from Eros factory.What’s interesting is YouTube’s ambition of targeting the lesser marketed user generated video content in India (know the options available for Indian Independent musicians)
“Together with Google’s sales teams, YouTube’s India executives will scour the country for television content, music videos and also work with producers to make their products available for viewing.”
Wake up Indian startups (and biggies!). It’s time to digg the offline India!
The YouTube move is definitely detrimental to copy cat products like MeraVideo.com (received $1.5million funding), ApnaTube and mindless other clones.
Such moves surely eliminate the boys from men! What do you say?
By the way, Buzz18.com, in association with Pritish Nandy Communications is organizing Short Film Contest to give a platform to the talented yet unnoticed film makers. (source)
tags: youtube
Now how ishare of rediff will respond to this news?.
Google concentrate more on those thing which get funded for indian startups so they power thier product more: like google local and now youtube.in and will soon launch, that i expect, online movie, air bus, and all reservation services, indian version Google checkout and so forth. Google has trust and brand in india.
If Google.co.in include simple Link [above the search text box] to the above services then it could be disaster to all indian startups.
It’s easy to develop India related movies content using API’s provided by youtube.
@Ravi: I agree and that’s why it’s important for Indian video startups to go beyond the online world. Ideally I’d expect Indian startups to target college crowd/amateur directors much before Google does.
Since technology is not at all a differentiator, reach matters and I am sure YouTube’s entry will kick the hell out of mindless startups.
If you take BigAdda.com,belonging to the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group has some big idea to create 10mn userbase by 2010(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Internet_/BigAddacom_targeting_user_base_of_10_mn_by_2010/rssarticleshow/2405862.cms).Due to lack of awareness so Indian SNW(Social Networking) are not getting much popular among youths.But promoting google will hit more on this industry…
I don’t think an India specific Youtube is good for India in the long run. Why not let all of the world see India videos on Youtube.com instead of sectioning off the videos for only Indians to view. This may sound good at first, but isolating India related videos from the rest of the world doesn’t seem to be a good long term strategy.
@Colton: If you look at the current Indian contribution in YouTube, it’s actually very less (insignificant). But that doesn’t mean that there are no independent/casual filmmakers in India.
And YouTube’s India specific site has to pertain to these challenges. Social networks which are US dominant do not get significant content/engagement from India/other world countries! (e.g myspace/YouTube/Digg).
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