TVO to put shows on YouTube

TVO, Ontario's public educational television station, is launching a channel on YouTube through a revenue-sharing agreement with the website.

The channel hub, which will launch in early 2009, will feature TVO-produced programs including its educational show Your Voice and newsprogram The Agenda with Steve Paikin. Users will be able to create playlists and subscribe to various shows through the hub.

TVO will share revenue generated from advertisements on itspage with YouTube, which is owned by Google Inc.

Lisa de Wilde, TVO's chief executive officer, said the deal reflects the channel's move toward expanding its audience through digital means.

"It significantly extends the impact and reach of our innovative content, allowing a global audience to discover that TVO is unmatched when it comes to stimulating thought and starting smart conversations," she said in a statement on Thursday."At the same time, having a dedicated space on YouTube opens up new and incremental revenue streams for TVO."

The channel also announced similar online video deals with Yahoo in March and Joost in June.

YouTube last month announced it would show full-length shows from CBS on its website, although onlyto U.S. users.YouTube is also in talks with major Hollywood studios to show feature films on its website.

Industryanalysts believe consumers may start discontinuing their home cable and satellite subscriptions as more television shows become available online.