Google Acquires Episodic. YouTube Pro On The Way?

Web video platform Episodic has announced that it has been acquired by Google.

Billed as a platform for “broadcasting, measuring and monetizing live and on-demand video content to the web or any web-enabled device”, the acquisition could have interesting implications for the future direction of YouTube.

Episodic users will be glad to hear that no interruption is planned for the service, which indicates that this acquisition is about the platform rather than simply being a talent grab. New sign-ups have been put on hold, however.

In a blog post today, Episodic writes:

“From our earliest discussions with Google, it was clear that the teams shared this belief and together we obviously see huge potential in online video. Our product visions were also complimentary and together we will continue to produce innovative video technology for our customers and their viewers.”

So, what does this mean? One scenario is that Episodic, with its advanced monetization capabilities, could lead to a future ‘YouTube Pro’ service. Users could commercialize their videos simply by upgrading to a paid account.

At present, Google arranges commercial deals with media companies individually. A ‘self-service’ solution is long overdue.