YouTube goes global, but becomes more local!
Video sharing website, YouTube announced the launch of nine international versions of its website, with each site displaying content in local languages and showing country-specific video rankings and comments.
Chad Hurley, YouTube co-founder, announced the launch of the website in Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK. Hurley said that launching country-specific versions of the website made sense since more than half of the visitors to the website were non-Americans.
The website has signed content deals with partners including France 24 and Antena 3 along with football clubs such as AC Milan, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid. YouTube has also partnered with humanitarian organizations such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace.
"Video is universal and allows people around the world to communicate and exchange ideas. Our mission is to entertain, inform and empower the world through video", Hurley said.
Commenting on the legal trouble currently faced by the website, Hurley said that most of the content currently being displayed on YouTube is original.
"We respect copyright and we want to create new revenue streams to create opportunities. We have been working with rights holders to help them leverage new audiences. The majority is original created work. We are also working on tools to help stop this happen", he added.
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