YouTube to go?

Jeff Tyler Nov 7, 2006

TEXT OF STORY

SCOTT JAGOW: Seems everybody’s trying to get of piece of YouTube. Google just bought it. At least one cable giant is launching a competitor. And now, a phone company wants to deliver YouTube videos right to your cell phone. Jeff Tyler reports.


JEFF TYLER: Verizon Communications is in what the Wall Street Journal calls “advanced talks” to partner with YouTube.

The paper says the telecom company would provide video service to its cell phone customers, though only to those subscribers who have signed on to its premium ‘V-Cast’ service, which costs an additional $15 a month.

Verizon would also make the videos available on its fledgling television service.

Scott Cleland with the industry research firm, Precursor, says You Tube could help distinguish the company from competitors.

SCOTT CLELAND: Verizon is trying to find unique content that they can bring to its customers. So, YouTube is a really novel idea of bringing original, unique content to both their new TV service and their cell phone service.

Other telecom firms are scrambling to ink similar deals. Cable company Comcast has created its own in-house video service. And YouTube may still partner with other companies besides Verizon.

In New York, I’m Jeff Tyler for Marketplace.

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