Online video-sharing website YouTube has announced a new deal with US broadcaster Hearst-Argyle Television (HA) to allow TV programmes to be shown on the site.Local TV stations in the Hearst-Argyle group will be paid when users of the popular movie file-sharing website watch their programmes on the internet, including news, weather and entertainment videos.
The deal marks the first time YouTube has agreed a payment system with an operating broadcaster for updated content, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Hearst-Argyle currently supplies programming to around 18 per cent of the US, owning 29 local TV stations across the country. A spokesman told Reuters that each of the local stations will take an undisclosed cut of the advertising revenue YouTube earns whenever people view clips on its site.
And the news follows an announcement last week that the video-sharing site has launched a deal with music group EMI, in order to watch and play music and videos from the record label's artists.
EMI, the UK's largest record company, currently has top names such as Robbie Williams and Lily Allen on its books.
Users will not only be able to access authorised video content for EMI's artists, but also utilise some of this content in their own "user-generated" section.
However, YouTube is also facing potential lawsuits from the English FA over unauthorised use of its copyrighted works.
