France Télévisions and YouTube have entered into a strategic partnership to increase access to public service media and combat misinformation. It means that the French broadcaster will offer all of its news and current affairs output though YouTube.
The alliance is part of the France Télévisions ‘streaming first’ strategy. The partnership will make thousands of hours of programming available online each year, shortly after broadcast. The idea is to ensure that its news programmes reach audiences wherever they are and on any device.
France Télévisions and YouTube are joining forces to accelerate the discovery, consumption and reach of France Télévisions news programming across all platforms.
The partnership will include the availability of all national and local news broadcasts and all daily and weekly current affairs and investigative magazine programmes.
It will involve an enhanced editorial presence of France Télévisions programming on YouTube, with curated channels by programme and theme, as well as programming produced especially for YouTube.
With this, to provide increased protection against misinformation and manipulated material, YouTube will facilitate the adoption of Likeness ID, its tool for detecting AI-generated content that uses the image or identity of public figures without their consent.
France Télévisions will directly commercialise its advertising inventory on the YouTube platform.
The announcement says that this collaboration is based on the clear vision that the future of broadcasting revolves around streaming.
“This strategic partnership with YouTube accelerates France Télévisions’ “streaming first” strategy,” said Delphine Ernotte Cunci, the chair and chief executive of France Télévisions. “It strengthens the reach of France Télévisions’ news content among all audiences, including those furthest removed from traditional media.”
Justine Ryst, the managing director of YouTube France, said: We are proud of this strategic partnership with France Télévisions and are convinced that YouTube and public service broadcasters complement each other perfectly.”
The announcement comes 21 years after the first video was uploaded to YouTube. We have come from uploads like ‘Me at the zoo’ to France Télévisions offering its entire news and current affairs output on YouTube, which is now owned by Google.
Earlier in the year, the BBC announced a deal with YouTube to make programmes specifically for YouTube. More recently, it announced that Matt Brittin, who was previously president of business and operations for Google across Europe, would become its new director general.