YouTube has long been the go-to spot for online videos, but the ubiquitous player hasn’t been the place you turn to if you’re looking for more traditional TV-like content. A new program from the Google-owned streaming giant announced today aims to change that and go up against established players like Netflix and Amazon.
As first reported by the Verge, YouTube Red is a $9.99/month streaming service that eliminates ads from your YouTube viewing completely. YouTube has traditionally made money almost exclusively from advertisements though, so getting rid of them changes a lot. First off, you’ll be able to take videos offline for viewing on planes or spotty coverage zones. You’ll also have access to exclusive content, much like the original series from Amazon and Netflix.
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The original content will initially come from some of YouTube’s biggest stars, who are being paired with some TV veterans. For example, gaming celebrity PewDiePie is working with a producer from The Walking Dead, while the Fine Bros. will star in a satirical take on reality singing competitions.
The subscription plan builds off the groundwork set up by Google Play Music, which offers ad-free listening with a similar $10/month subscription. YouTube Red expands that to include every video on the site. Creators will be given a percentage of total subscription revenue for their videos, and YouTube says they will get the majority of the revenue. Under the ad-supported model, creators get about 55 percent of ad revenue.
The new service goes online on Oct. 28 for $9.99 per month. Users can access it on a special YouTube mobile app or via their browsers. Original programming will come early next year.