YouTube ad-free subscription service said to launch on October 22nd

YouTube is expected to release a subscription service that will get rid of ads; there is no secret there. The rumors have been going strong about it. The issue is so far all we have gotten is a general sense of the idea. Needless to say we have been itching for more details, and today we might be getting the best YouTube murmurs around the inter webs.

Sources have been told that a launch is to be expected by the end of October, but that is merely words. Those who need a bit more proof can now turn to look at an email YouTube content creators have been getting. This message (posted at the bottom of this article) asks that YouTube channel owners agree to a new set of terms of service, or else their videos “will no longer be available for public display or monetization in the USA”. This action must be taken care of by October 22nd, which strongly suggests this may be the same day Google launches the new YouTube subscription service.

This evidence is accompanied by other rumors coming from “video industry sources”, who claim this service is to be bundled with YouTube Music Key, the company’s music streaming paid subscription. But most of you are probably more worried about how much subscribers will pocket out to get an ad-free YouTube and Music Key, a due that is rumored to be named YouTube Red.

The details are actually a bit weird, as it’s said Google will charge only $10 a month for this. This would be the same amount of cash Music Key was expected to cost on its own, leaving much of the industry scratching heads. Is this a good decision, financially, with music labels likely getting most of the money? We are sure Google wouldn’t go ahead and lose money doing this. Right?

Maybe YouTube Music Key simply needed more to offer than its own music streaming capabilities, and the promise of no ads will simply entice more users to sign up. Where do you stand on this? Would you pay $10 a month to get rid of ads and gain access to Music Key?

Letter to YouTube content owners:

For years, YouTube’s fans have been telling us they want more — more choice when watching their favorite content, more ways to support their favorite creators and, above all, the option to watch their favorite videos uninterrupted.

To give fans more choice we will be launching a new ads-free version of YouTube, available to fans for a monthly fee. This service will create a new source of revenue over time that supplements your advertising revenue. That’s why an overwhelming majority of our partners — representing over 95% of YouTube watchtime — have asked for and signed up for this service.

As you heard in our previous emails, we want to ensure that fans who choose to pay for an ads-free experience can watch all the same videos that are available on the ads-supported experience. That’s why we’re asking you to update your agreement to reflect the updated terms for the ads-free service.

To accept, simply log into YouTube.com as “pakafka” from a desktop or laptop and follow the prompts by October 22nd.

If you haven’t signed by that date, your videos will no longer be available for public display or monetization in the United States. That outcome would be a loss for YouTube, a loss for the thriving presence you’ve built on the platform, and above all, a loss for your fans. We remain committed to working with you, as we always have. And of course, at any time, you can accept the updated terms which will make your videos public and monetizable again. Common FAQs can be found here.

We believe these new terms will greatly strengthen our partnership for the future. We went through a similar process three years ago when we began distributing and monetizing your content on mobile devices. Today, mobile represents over half of all watchtime and mobile revenue is up 2x in just the last year. Just as with mobile, we’re confident this latest update will excite your fans and generate a previously untapped, additional source of revenue for you.

If you have questions or encounter technical difficulties, we’re here to help: reach out to us for support here.

The YouTube Team