YouTube May Offer Movie Rentals

Google spent alot of money to buy YouTube and it appears that they are looking for some tangible monetary return on that investment. YouTube has engaged in talks with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Lions Gate Entertainment Group to offer new movie releases through the site. Currently, the vast majority of the content on YouTube is user-provided, although it's difficult to say exactly how much of it is user-created.

YouTube is a popular repository for people wishing to share previously distributed and protected video content, such as clips from popular shows or stand-up comedy routines. YouTube has recently expanded its offerings to include content from Time Warner, CNN, the Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.

Chris Dale, a spokesman for YouTube, would not comment specifically on any talks that were taking place, but did say, "We hope to expand on both our great relationships with movie studios and on the selection and types of videos we offer our community."

YouTube is far and away the dominant player among video websites, controlling over 40% of the market. No other site can claim more than 5% of the market.