YouTube Goes Long

Executives at the Google-owned property said the decision to break from the site's traditional emphasis on short video clips was based on demand from its own user base and the fact that long form Web viewing has proven popular on other sites such as ABC.com. YouTube has been quietly exceeding it's previous nine-minutes-or-less limit for video length by offering several documentaries and excerpts from political debates, and it's users have responded positively, said officials.

"This is about giving the community what they want, said Jordan Hoffner, YouTube's director of content partnerships, YouTube "Plus, we're not blind to the growth of long form on other sites." But with the move, YouTube is clearing moving to where the money is in online video. It's been well documented that Google has had trouble cashing in on the millions of user-generated clips the site streamed, while advertisers have gravitated to running spots within primetime series via the CBS Audience Network, Hulu, and other sites.

Hoffner wouldn't comment on whether YouTube's shift in strategy is based on the perceived financial success of the Hulus of the world. "I've never seen Hulu's books," he said. "This is just the right strategy for us. There is money in a lot of places. We're making good on our pledge to give advertisers choice." Hoffner added that YouTube will announce several additional content partners in the coming weeks.