YouTube is reported to be considering monetising certain YouTube channels, permitting some content creators to charge users for access to specific subscriptions.

The report comes by way of the Wall Street Journal, which cites sources familiar with the matter. These sources told the Journal that “YouTube also hopes that owners of struggling cable-TV channels might opt to move their content to YouTube.”

The possibility of paid-for channel subscriptions was first covered by Ad Age, with the website saying that “YouTube has reached out to a small group of channel producers and asked them to submit applications to create channels that users would have to pay to access.” Initial payments for access to these channels have been estimated at a cost of between $1 and $5 a month.

The majority of YouTube’s content would remain free under such a scheme but the extra incoming cash could prompt higher-quality content on the streaming video service, even if that content comes with a price tag for users.

Source: Ars Technica