YouTube makes official debut in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - YouTube, the world’s largest online video sharing community, has announced the launch of a localized service for the Philippines.

Users can go to this localized Philippine site by choosing “The Philippines” as the location setting at the bottom of the YouTube homepage.

The brand new YouTube Philippines offers a local interface to easily and quickly find videos most relevant to Filipinos as well as expanded content from local and global partners.

The site will create a new online space for the national community and give Filipino creators the opportunity to increase their exposure.

One prominent addition to YouTube concurrent with the launch will be updated presidential channels from President Aquino at www.youtube.com/govph and www.youtube.com/rtvmalacanang.

The Aquino administration will leverage this powerful media channel to reach out to the online Filipino community within the country and around the world.

Aquino will also participate in YouTube’s World View live interview series (http://www.youtube.com/worldview) where the questions come directly from citizens.

“Our government recognizes the significant impact of the Internet on the quality of life of 30 million Filipino users. The presidential channel provides a powerful, relevant way to demonstrate good governance and transparency — the cornerstone of this administration — and its contribution to poverty alleviation and sustainable economic growth,” said Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang.

In addition to the presidential channel, YouTube has forged partnership agreements with top Filipino media companies, including ABS-CBN, GMA Network Inc., and TV5.

These broadcasters as well as partners VIVA Records, PinoyTuner, Vicor Records, Star Records, and Oak3 are establishing a strong presence on YouTube to easily distribute their content and grow their audience.

“GMA’s new YouTube Channel provides an ideal way to reach viewers through online video, whether the audience is in the Philippines or anywhere else around the world,” said Jimmy Duavit, president and COO of GMA Network Inc.

“It is a pleasure to be one of YouTube’s first Filipino partners, and we look forward to sharing some of our best content, including clips of our flagship newscasts 24 Oras from GMA and State of the Nation from GMANews TV, as well as highlights of top-rating GMA entertainment programs such as Amaya and Munting Heredera,” Duavit added.

In anticipation of the localized service for the Philippines, YouTube has signed a licensing agreement with the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (FILSCAP) that will allow music artists to earn revenue on YouTube.

Revenue is generated when advertisements are displayed against YouTube partner’s videos. Under this agreement, Filipino authors will now receive payments from their associations when rights holders distribute them.

“Reaching an agreement with YouTube is a step forward that creates major new opportunities for our members and affiliates,” said Debbie Gaite, general manager of FILSCAP.

“From now on, they will receive fair payment for the use of their works on YouTube which is a very positive step for our songwriters and publishers and, more broadly, the Internet,” Gaite said.

With the localized site in the Philippines, the YouTube Partner Program will also open to Filipino video creators.

This program enables content creators in the Philippines who make original, high-quality videos on a regular basis to become content partners with YouTube and monetize their work on the site through advertising.

Content creators will be able to apply online for the program at http://www.youtube.com/creators/partner.html.