YouTube is rolling out a monthly subscription model that will allow viewers to bypass pre-roll ads, and has notified its creators that their terms are being updated to share in that revenue, Mashable confirmed on Wednesday.
"While we can't comment on ongoing discussions, giving fans more choice to enjoy the content they love and creators more opportunity to earn revenue are always amongst our top priorities," a YouTube spokesperson told Mashable.
The paid offering could debut some time this year, according to Bloomberg, which first reported on Google's plans Wednesday. However, the time frame and pricing have yet to be determined.
Ads that roll before YouTube videos will still be the core of its business, a person with knowledge of Google's plans told Mashable. "By creating a new paid offering, we'll generate a new source of revenue that will supplement your fast-growing advertising service," read the letter, which Bloomberg obtained and published in full.
Google has made several recent efforts to diversify its revenue streams from content offerings, however: YouTube began renting full-length movies in 2011, and rolled out its $10-per-month subscription service late last year.
This story is developing ...