Despite past riffs between the two regarding intellectual property, NBC and YouTube announced a strategic partnership to promote NBC programming on the video sharing site.
NBC’s will preview its Fall program lineup and other “preferred” shows. The agreement also includes an integrated, cross-promotional advertising relationship on the YouTube service and significant on-air promotion provided by NBC.
Under the terms of the agreement, NBC will create an official NBC Channel on YouTube to house its Fall Preview area with clips to promote NBC’s “The Office.” Also, the GE-owned television network will upload several video presentations and promos each week to their newly created channel over the next year. This includes promos for primetime and late-night programs like “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
“The YouTube and NBC partnership symbolizes what can happen when traditional media companies and new media companies find common ground,” said John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Universal Television Group in a statement.
Miller said NBC hopes to “harness the power of viral video in a way that respects copyrights and applauded YouTube for the company’s willingness to remove unauthorized content. YouTube was recently forced to take down virally-charged clips of “Lazy Sunday,” a rap-parody based on The Chronicles of Narnia
“We are delighted to work with NBC on an official basis,” said Chad Hurley, co-founder and CEO of YouTube. “This partnership provides greater visibility and access to both NBC and YouTube’s audiences, providing both companies with new outlets for growth and opportunity.”
NBC will launch a contest to promote “The Office,” inviting YouTubers to submit their own 20-second promotional videos. NBC will publicize the campaign on air regularly during the first three weeks of the contest. The contest runs June 26 through July 21. The winning video will air within the network broadcast of “The Office” during the month of August.
“With the contest, we want to have some fun and allow an artistic avenue for fans of ‘The Office,'” said Miller. “We know they have a lot of great ideas that deserve to be shared and we can’t wait to see what they upload to YouTube.”
People watch over 70 million videos per day on YouTube, making it the 17th most trafficked Web site in the world and the leading video site.
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