YouTube launches in 9 countries
In an continued effort to broaden their exposure and give users more of a local experience, Google has launched YouTube in 9 countries today at their annual press conference in France. Speculation about this news started several weeks ago in the blogosphere after it was discovered that YouTube registered several country specific domains.
The nine new versions of YouTube are for Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK. As time goes on, each of these sites will continue to be more regionally specific with featured videos that correlate with the popularity of videos in these locations.
Along with the new sites, Google also announced some new partnerships with international organizations that should help contribute to the local feel.
YouTube has also unveiled content partners around the world, including deals with France 24, Antena 3 in Spain, European football clubs such as AC Milan, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as organisations such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace.