TORONTO — Video sharing giant YouTube is eager to establish a greater foothold in Canada through partnerships that could result in more authorized Canadian content making its way onto the U.S.-based site, a visiting executive said Wednesday.
Jordan Hoffner, head of YouTube's content partnerships, was in Toronto for a series of meetings to explore ways in which the popular site — best known for hosting sight gags and comedy clips — could add more Maple Leaf flavour.
"We're in active discussions with the major Canadian media companies now so there's going to be some announcements pretty soon," Hoffner said, refusing to elaborate.
The CBC, CFL and NHL are just some of the agencies that already have content-sharing agreements that allow YouTube to air Canadian content including the current affairs show "The Hour," and game highlights.
Hoffner said a new deal has been struck with the CBC, but a spokesman for the public broadcaster said an existing deal stretches back more than a year, originating with YouTube's parent company Google.
Observers say the marriage between YouTube and TV networks has proven to be beneficial to both sides, boosting Internet traffic and TV ratings simultaneously.
Most recently, YouTube partnered with the major U.S. networks to offer online previews of the fall TV lineup.
CTV spokesman Scott Henderson wouldn't comment on possible deals allowing a greater online presence of shows like "Corner Gas" and "Canadian Idol," saying only that current YouTube postings of original CTV shows are unauthorized.
Toronto blogger and tech watcher Mark Evans says Canada has a large online audience that YouTube has ignored, by and large.
"There's a sort of a disconnect — Canadians love watching online video except that we're not watching Canadian services," says Evans.
"We're watching American services like YouTube which means that if Canadian content is available, it's not available legitimately."
Still, he warned that formal alliances could actually restrict Canadian content online.
"The fact that it's a free-for-all is great for Canadians — we can watch whatever we want whenever we want. The big fear for consumers is that as online video goes legit is that you'll start to have more regulations in place."
For instance, regulations could keep last night's episode of your favourite show from appearing online until days or weeks later, he said, or for a fee.
He questioned how much of an appetite for Canadian shows there was to begin with.
"I don't think people are really going to YouTube to watch 'Little Mosque on the Prairie' as opposed to the 'Daily Show' and 'Saturday Night Live,' " Evans said.
The closest thing Canada has to YouTube is the video sharing site BlogTV.ca, which allows Canadians to upload clips and also set up streaming video, he notes.
Hoffner's other venture while in Canada was to help promote the YouTube premiere of a music video from singer Naomi Striemer featuring Carlos Santana.
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