Google has begun testing a program that makes some videos on its popular YouTube property available for  saving as downloads for offline viewing at fees set by the owners of the videos or in some cases for free, the Mountain View, California-based Internet giant announced Thursday. The ability to generate revenue at YouTube has been a goal at Google since it purchased the world's largest video sharing Web site for $1.65 billion in stock compensation in 2006, and the program announced Thursday marked the first time that certain YouTube content was restricted to those who pay for them. Program Marks First Time Certain YouTube Videos Can Be Downloaded Or Purchased Partners in the new YouTube trial program, presently limited to the United States, have been given the ability to chose whether to "offer their video downloads for free or for a small fee paid through Google Checkout," YouTube product manager Thai Tran wrote in a message announcing the test posted Thursday to the YouTube blog. Google Checkout is an online payment system operated by Google, and was the exclusive payment processing provider for the new YouTube test program. YouTube has partnered with educational institutions Duke University, Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and Los Angeles, and the University of California Television channel in the initial test launched Thursday. The video download trial program, which YouTube said offered "an additional distribution and revenue-generating tool," also included other partners, such as Khan Academy, a non-profit online educational organization, Lincoln, Nebraska-based YouTube user Dan Brown's video blog Pogobat, and educational how-to video maker Household Hacker. Pilot Program Saves YouTube Videos In MP4 Format YouTube said that it had begun working on the new video payment and downloading system after requests from some of its 5-million-plus users worldwide. "Many of you have told us that you wanted to take your favorite videos offline," Tran noted in the Thursday announcement. "We've started working with a few partners who want  their videos shared universally and even enjoyed away from an Internet connection," Tran added. "To help you keep track of the videos you have previously purchased, we have created a new 'My Purchases' tab under 'My Videos' " section of the YouTube Web site, Tran wrote. Video producers in the program can choose to offer their YouTube selections available for downloading as digital-rights-management-free MP4 files for users to save to their computers for viewing anytime, even away from an Internet connection, in one of six licensing formats. In its simplest implementation, partners in the new YouTube program can offer their videos as public domain downloads for free. They can also choose to offer their downloadable videos under three types of licensing through Creative Commons, a non-profit corporation founded in 2001 that makes free copyright licenses available. Creative Commons Among YouTube Plan's Six Licensing Options Partners who don't choose to release their works freely into the public domain or with a personal, non-commercial use only licensing agreement, can use Creative Commons "attribution," "attribution-noncommercial-share alike," or "attribution-noncommercial-no derivative works licenses," at their discretion, YouTube said. "Partners can set prices and decide which license they want to attach to the downloaded video files," YouTube's Tran said. "Using Creative Commons licenses, we're giving our partners and community more choices. Creative Commons licenses permit people to reuse downloaded content under certain conditions," Tran added. YouTube said having certain YouTube videos available for download would help in situations where Internet access was not available. "YouTube users who are traveling or teachers who want to show these videos in classrooms with limited or no connectivity should find this particularly useful," Tran said Thursday. Some YouTube videos from partners testing the new program were already available for download and purchase, including several priced at 99 cents. In January certain YouTube users first began seeing small "download" links available below some videos, however Thursday's announcement was the first official description of how they work. YouTube To Seek Curbs On Unauthorized Video Downloads "The video watch pages of the participating partners link to the download option below the left-hand corner of  the video," Tran noted. SearchEngineWorld example images showing the new download links, as well as the purchasing options for selected YouTube videos, are included in the first two sections of this report. YouTube did not provide details about how revenue it takes in through the new program would be divided among partners, nor did it detail the price range for videos or whether there will be a maximum price cap. Prior to its purchase of YouTube, Google sold videos through its Google Video Web property -- a service that was discontinued when it completed the YouTube acquisition. In order to purchase a video for download using the new YouTube program, users are required to use a Google account and the search giant's own Google Checkout payment system. YouTube Testing Fee-Based Video Downloads Using Google Checkout System A list for helping manage video downloads purchased in the new YouTube program has been added to the video-sharing site, however it currently does not allow users to keep track of free downloaded videos. While some industry observers have questioned whether there is enough demand for offline YouTube video access to make the new program successful, dozens if not hundreds of unauthorized third-party applications and Web browser extensions have found a niche enterprise in making it possible to download any YouTube video. Google has sought to put technology in place to block such applications and browser add-ons, and will likely increase these anti-piracy efforts in conjunction with the program announced Thursday. YouTube has set up a submission area on its Web site for those interested in more information on the new partner program. Related Links:
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