Users of YouTube wanting to avoid advertisements and commercials when watching videos on the platform will now be able to do so at a fee. This will be possible through a new paid offing that YouTube is planning to launch before the end of the year. The new update will provide fans with an ad-free paid-subscription version of the YouTube channel that YouTube says will generate a new source of revenue to add to the already growing advertising revenue that the channel continues to witness and share with its partners. YouTube confirmed the planned availability of the service through an email sent to YouTube partners asking them to agree to the updated terms and conditions set to take effect in June, this year, adding that in addition to increasing revenue, the new version would be meeting the growing demand of YouTube fans. “Your fans want choices. Not only do they want to watch what they want, whenever they want, anywhere, and on any device they choose, they want YouTube features built specifically with their needs in mind,” reads part of the email. Following the launch of YouTube Kids app that is designed to five families a video – viewing service that promised to offer simplicity and security, the app has now welcomed over 2 million users through installations in a period not amounting to one month. It is not clear how much YouTube will ask for as subscription fees but in its updated terms and conditions YouTube content creators will be paid 55 per cent of the total amount emanating from subscription fees. YouTube will pay you 55% of the total net revenues recognized by YouTube from subscription fees that are attributable to the monthly views or watch time of your content as a percentage of the monthly views or watch time of all or a subset of participating content in the relevant subscription offering – as The move is a confirmation to reports initiated last year by YouTube’s CEO Susan Wojcicki, who said an ad-free option would be available to cater for especially the mobile users who do not want to see ads. In the email, YouTube reveals that mobile revenue was up by 200% in the last year.
