YouTube’s new subscription model is strongly reminiscent of the Amazon Prime Channels. Are YouTube Primetime Channels Really Worth It? TECHBOOK does the check.
After the USA, Germany is the first country in which YouTube is launching its new primetime channels. Unlike the YouTube Premium subscription, the Primetime Channels contain content from third-party providers such as ARD or Sport1+. YouTube is thus copying the concept of Amazon Prime, but is starting with a much smaller selection.
The new application is somewhat hidden under “Movies and TV”. If you want, you can test each primetime channel for 7 days. The conclusion of the subscription can then be processed intuitively via the Google account and the stored payment method. A YouTube Premium subscription is therefore not a prerequisite for taking out a Primetime Channel subscription. Conversely, a premium subscription does not bring any benefits in the primetime channel area.
What content does the YouTube Primetime Channels offer?
YouTube starts with a thematically diverse range, consisting of films and series, live content, behind-the-scenes material as well as documentaries and a sporting focus. So far, YouTube offers the following channels:
- ARD Plus (for 4.95 euros per month)
- Crime + Investigation (for 3.99 euros per month)
- TELEVISION WITH HEART, consisting of Romance TV, Heimatkanal and GoldStar TV (for 4.99 euros per month)
- Motorvision TV (for 6.99 euros per month)
- Sport1+ (for 4.99 euros per month)
- Sportdigital FOOTBALL (for 4.99 euros per month)
- HISTORY Play (for 3.99 euros per month)
- WORLD OF FREESPORTS (for 2.99 euros per month)
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A cooperation with Paramount+, probably the strongest workhorse in the series, is scheduled to start in the course of 2023. eSPORTS1, Bergblick TV, Waidwerk and Jukebox are also to follow and expand the previously somewhat thin channel selection. The content is not necessarily exclusive. ARD Plus, for example, covers parts of the ARD Plus channel, which Amazon offers for a comparable price. Cooperation with major streaming providers and series producers such as Netflix or Disney+, on the other hand, do not seem to be under discussion and are generally rather unlikely, at least on a large scale, since the providers usually want to offer their originals exclusively. It is therefore not yet entirely foreseeable how large and attractive the channel offering will become.
The primetime channels have these weaknesses
YouTube advertises that the various channels can be subscribed to individually, so customers really only pay for the content they watch. But if you are interested in both true crime and historical documentaries and maybe want to watch a heartwarming romance or a football game, you have to buy several subscriptions at the same time. This can quickly become confusing and expensive.
TECHBOOK meint
“Overall, the YouTube primetime channel offering is a nice addition to the platform’s previous concept. Anyone who attaches greater importance to being able to stream all content on a page or within an app could be happy with the new offer. Otherwise, YouTube is not launching a really innovative model with the Primetime Channels. And as long as the selection of attractive and exclusive content remains so manageable, the platform cannot yet convince as an alternative to Amazon with its structurally comparable offer. Natalie Wetzel, editor