Google to overhaul YouTube

Google's popular video sharing website YouTube will soon be overhauled and turned into a premium content competitor with organised channels and professionally produced video.

YouTube is trying to position itself to better handle the age of Internet-connected televisions, a report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

YouTube is reorganising its home page around "channels," or topics, such as sports and arts.

The website is working to include about 20 "premium channels" that would showcase five to 10 hours of professionally produced, original programming each week.

The changes, which reportedly will cost YouTube about USD 100 million, should start to be phased in by the end of the year.

The YouTube is looking to align itself with the growing trend of Internet-connected television.

YouTube designers are working to develop channels that would make it easier for users -who would be viewing the site on their computers and on their TVs - to find the content that they want to watch.

Analysts say that this is the time when You Tube needs to make changes as not much has changed since it started.

The report says that YouTube will now have categorised channels ("such as arts and sports), and that premium-grade content is on its way.

"YouTube is looking to introduce 20 or so 'premium channels' that would feature five to 10 hours of professionally-produced original programming a week," an insider told WSJ.

These changes are slated to roll in by the end of the year, and Google is looking for new recruits to work on the project.

And Google isn't simply working on adding organisation to YouTube; meetings with reputable Hollywood talent firms would suggest it's serious about nabbing some famous personnel, be those behind or in front of the camera.

YouTube certainly is enough of a household name to command at least some attention, and if it plans to keep and grow its user base and make the type of money it wants to off advertising, this is a natural step.

With such massive change, there's always the possibility of isolating passionate YouTubers who have been there since its start, but its probably worth it for Google to further break into our living rooms.