BBC announces landmark ‘partnership’ with YouTube

London: The BBC announced Wednesday a landmark new deal with American video platform YouTube which it said will showcase “the best homegrown storytelling and news from across” the British broadcaster’s output.

The “strategic partnership” will see the BBC “expand” its activities on the video streaming platform, including producing tailor-made content targeting YouTube’s younger audiences, a BBC statement said.The new content will include adverts when viewed from outside of the UK, a BBC report on the deal said.

This could provide welcome extra funds for the cash-strapped corporation at a time when its future funding model is under scrutiny and it is facing a $10-billion lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump.

The BBC statement does not mention the financial details of the deal with the video streaming giant owned by Alphabet (Google).

The broadcaster is largely funded by an annual £174.50 pound ($234) annual license fee mandatory for anyone in Britain who watches television.The deal with YouTube is focused on investments in new programming, spotlighting more BBC content on the video platform and “upskilling the next generation” of British creators, the BBC statement said.”It’s essential that everyone gets value from the BBC, and this groundbreaking partnership will help us connect with audiences in new ways,” said Tim Davie, BBC’s outgoing director general.

Pedro Pina, vice president of EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) YouTube said the company was “delighted” to partner with the BBC “to redefine the boundaries of digital storytelling”.

“This partnership translates the BBC’s world-class content for a digital-first audience, ensuring its cultural impact reaches a younger, more global audience,” Pina said, according to the statement.