Youtube+goes+Sundance






 * By Ian Donnelly**

//Youtube plans an On-Demand Streaming Video Service for Sundance Films//

[|Youtube,] the world's most popular video website, will begin testing an [|online movie rental service] featuring independent films from the [|Sundance Film Festival] on Friday, January 22. Youtube is also in negotiations with other partners to participate in the service including [|Lions Gate Entertainment Corp] and [|Sony Pictures].

Youtube is owned by [|Google Inc.] and currently offers older films and TV shows through partnerships with [|MGM] and [|Walt Disney Co]. The website also has [|millions of user uploaded videos]. The site supports itself through [|advertising] but hopes to charge users between $.99 and $19.99 to rent movies through the new service, which would be available to users for a period of 24 hours.

Online video rental has become a revenue generating [|trend] in the video retail market. Companies such as [|iTunes], [|Amazon] and[|Netflix] have been [|competing for rights] within the on-demand streaming video market since 2008.

The popularity of streaming video rentals marks a positive turn in the movie making industry. The acceptance of cheap, instant video by Gen Y consumers is currently the market's best defense against [|piracy].