YouTube Launches YouTube TV Nationwide

YouTube announced Wednesday (Jan. 23) that two years after it rolled out YouTube TV, the service that enables people to access cable-free live TV is going nationwide.

In a blog post, YouTube said it is rolling out YouTube TV to 95 markets starting Wednesday (Jan. 23). That covers 98 percent of households in the U.S. The rest of the markets will follow shortly after that, noted YouTube in the blog post.

“Since YouTube TV’s early days, it’s been important for us to create an experience that brings you the best of your favorite TV content. As part of that effort, we’ve offered local feeds from broadcasters, allowing you to catch up with the content that matters to you,” YouTube wrote in the blog. “With this national expansion, we’re providing complete local affiliate coverage by providing local feeds from the four largest broadcasters in over 90 percent of the markets where YouTube TV is available.”

That means customers will get access to more live sports, breaking news, and more relevant content. YouTube said its service has more than 60 networks including ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Cable networks such as TNT, TBS, CNN, ESPN, and FX are part of the service, as is on-demand programming. Users also have access to a cloud DVR with no storage space limits, the ability to watch YouTube on any screen and up to six accounts per household. The service costs $40 a month and can be canceled at any time.

The move on the part of YouTube to launch YouTube TV nationwide (just in time for the Super Bowl) comes as YouTube has been rolling out different services to keep driving business its way. In the summer it rolled out the ability for video uploaders to make money if they have more than 100,000 followers by launching paid fan clubs. The move is part of an effort on the part of parent company Google to be less reliant on advertisers to make money.