YouTube tipped to strike licensing deals for TV shows and films

YouTube is preparing to strike deals with Hollywood studios and television firms to bring films and TV shows to its YouTube Red subscription service.

The online video service is keen for its $9.99-a-month service to compete more directly with rivals such as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, according to the Wall Street Journal.Its report suggests that YouTube is in the “early stages” of these talks, but that it hopes to commission original shows and films rather than simply license existing content.