Consider it Version 3.0 of YouTube: The monetized version.
The video service said Thursday it had reached deals with Hollywood movie and television studios to put full-length episodes and films on the site. At the same time, Google said as YouTube's owner that it is pondering a premium content service that would charge users.
The Hollywood deal is significant because YouTube remains nearly 10 times larger than its nearest competitor, with 90 million users a month. But such services as Hulu, Joost and TV.com have preceded YouTube into the television episode space, so YouTube's foray may take time to gain a foothold.
It is not clear how Google will introduce a premium service. In an interview with the New York Times, Google CEO Eric Schmidt suggested it wouldn't be through charging for programs from the new suppliers, which include Sony, Lions Gate and MGM.
