YouTube Spends $100 Million To Redefine TV
Saturday, January 14th, 2012On a recent sun-kissed day, a trio of hot names made a pilgrimage to the ninth floor of the Four Seasons Hotel. But the director McG, singer Taio Cruz and Web musical phenom Greyson Chance were not guests at the posh property. They were visiting the studios of an online production company that has taken up permanent residence in adjoining suites.
“Wow, you guys really work out of a hotel?” McG asks R.J. Williams, host and founder of Young Hollywood, whose stock in video trade is the breezy celebrity chat.
“It’s more than that,” Williams, 34, says with a smile. “I live here, too.”
Williams is betting most of his personal savings and free time that two things will make him a next-generation media titan: hard work and YouTube.
That bet goes both ways. Beginning this month, YouTube is gambling $100 million that by seeding professional production firms such as Young Hollywood — whose slate of YouTube-only programming premieres Monday — it will draw more eyeballs for longer viewing sessions.
Williams calls the online video giant’s move a “game-changer” and argues that the growing number of stars who sit on his white sofa — Cruz came to see Williams straight from Jay Leno’s Tonight Show couch — spotlights the emerging clout of Web-only shows.
“A few old-school publicists still don’t embrace us,” says Williams, who chose the Four Seasons because many stars call it home during publicity tours. “But the younger reps and celebs sure do.”
YouTube executives hope gossip-hungry viewers weaned on E! and Access Hollywood give Williams’ shows a shot. To help ensure that, the company recently redesigned its site to emphasize a new channel-centric look that can be customized by users.
Though shaky clips of goofy cats and surly babies will forever be a hallmark of the Google-owned company, the focus clearly is shifting to…
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