YouTube UK Blog

Britain's Got Talent 2012: You Be The Judge

2012-01-06T02:24:00.000-08:00

"Britain's Got Talent" is poised to return to ITV for 2012, and along with the return of Simon Cowell and the addition of Alesha Dixon and David Walliams to the panel comes one more judge: the YouTube Community.

Last year the talent show invited would-be winners to apply via YouTube for access to an exclusive audition. This time, "Britain's Got Talent" will identify the best submissions and then ask visitors to the show's channel to decide which acts will have the opportunity to present their skills in person at the Birmingham auditions on February 18. Meaning that you, the audience, will be able to try your hand at being Simon Cowell for real. Who will you back for fame?

If you fancy your chances of making it all the way to a slot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance and trousering the show's incredible £500,000 prize, then you have until Tuesday, January 22, to upload your submission. Full details are available here.

The shortlist will be unveiled on Monday, February 6, at which point the acts will have seven days to generate as many votes as possible before the winners are settled and slots booked for an audience with the fearsome Cowell, Dixon, Holden and Walliams.

Get filming, get uploading and show "Britain's Got Talent", the judges and the YouTube community what you can do.

Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK, recently watched "Britain's Got Talent: Diversity".

Project For Awesome 2011: Charity Christmas Cheer

2011-12-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hi! I'm Liam Dryden. I'm a UK YouTube Partner and member of YouTube's video-blogger community, and today I'd like to talk to you a bit about the Project For Awesome aka P4A.

Originally set up in 2007 by the vlogbrothers (aka John and Hank Green) and their rapidly growing subscriber base, the plan of the Project For Awesome was to take over YouTube's charts for a day with videos raising awareness and money for a wide range of charities. The date of P4A, December 17, is set a week before Christmas to remind people that the giving part of the season doesn't have to begin and end at the point of purchase.

Last year, by creating hundreds of videos talking about charity and other altruistic projects, and spending 24 hours on a mass viewing, commenting and favouriting spree of all the P4A videos across the site, all of YouTube's Most Viewed, Commented, Favourited and Rated charts were dominated by these videos between December 17th and 18th. it was a huge success, and all the vloggers whose videos had made it into the charts found their chosen charities benefitting from the event.

Every year since then, led by John and Hank every December 17, Project For Awesome has grown and grown. This weekend, P4A enters its fourth year and YouTube's gracious involvement in our gaming of their system means that a handful of people like me have been invited to show you how we do things, in case you're interested in taking part.

There are plenty of ways you can get involved, the most obvious being make a video. If you support any kind of charity that you think needs a little more awareness, then grab your camera and just tell the world a little bit about them and what people can do to help. It doesn't have to be long, most people watching will be flying through lots of different videos throughout the day anyway, so the more concise you are, the better.

If you're a YouTube Partner, there are a wide range of editable, attention-grabbing P4A thumbnails available for download at http://projectforawesome.com. Add one of these to your video to let your audience know you're involved and they'll get to work. Videos should be going live in the morning of December 17, as this is a concentrated effort lasting 24 hours.

As well as making a video, one of the most important elements of P4A is the mass watching, liking, favouriting and commenting of all the other P4A videos you come across. Many people will be linking to others, or you can search for recent "Project for Awesome" uploads (many people will be adding P4A as a tag), but it's absolutely necessary you become a part of this. With more people using YouTube every year it becomes a lot harder to make a video reach the No. 1 spots in the charts, and we need all the help we can get to make a dent in them. So with that in mind, any additional promotion you can do on sites like Twitter, Facebook or your individual blogs will be much appreciated.

This year I'm making a video for my favourite charity, Child's Play. They specialise in providing long-term patients in children's hospitals with video games, consoles, DVDs and other forms of entertainment to keep their spirits up while on the road to recovery. On top of my video, I'm holding a number of eBay auctions where I'm selling some gaming-themed t-shirts that I've worn in previous videos, and all the proceeds of those will be going towards the charity.

So I hope if you're interested, you can give my video a watch… and a comment… and maybe favourite it. Hey, it's for charity!

I'm really excited about P4A 2011; I think this is going to be the biggest year yet, and I hope you agree.
Looking forward to seeing you amongst the madness this weekend.

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

Liam Dryden, Video Blogger/Comedian, recently watched: "Alex Day - Forever Yours"

Poetic Justice: Impress The Band, Join Them In Australia on Jan. 1, 2012

2011-11-14T04:02:00.000-08:00

Dance superstars Justice have laid down a challenge to YouTube: produce a mind-blowing video cover of one the tracks from "Audio, Video, Disco" and win the opportunity to treat yourself and a friend to a similarly mind-blowing New Year's Day at the band's January 1, 2012, concert in Sydney, Australia.

Given that the French duo have a reputation for producing innovative, quirky videos, it's time to get creative: think "D.A.N.C.E" or the epic "Civilisation" (although, naturally, your production can be on a smaller scale). The creators of the top nine entries as decided by Gaspard and Xavier will join them in an exclusive Google+ Hangout at the Justice +Page to review the entries, at which point the winner will be announced.

Submissions should be made at the Justice YouTube channel and don't forget to share your efforts using Google+ and boost your profile by interacting with the band's +page, as comments will be linked directly back to their home on YouTube and will doubtless boost your chances. The competition closes at 3pm, Paris time, on December 10, so get filming if you want to start 2012 with a bang… and more than a few beats.

Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK, recently watched "Audio, Video, Disco".

Welcoming the UK’s next generation of cooking and fitness trainer stars

2011-11-10T03:05:00.000-08:00

Thinking of searching YouTube for a cooking recipe as Christmas approaches? Want some videos to help you achieve that New Year’s fitness resolution? You’re in good company. Searches on YouTube for cooking recipes soar around the end of every year, and searches for fitness exercises start kicking in around the start of the new year.

We have partners who are doing amazing things with food and fitness, and to supercharge their careers, we created the YouTube Next Chef and the YouTube Next Trainer programmes. We’d like to introduce you to the first class of partners who’ll be attending a 12-week course via Google+ Hangouts and receiving a $15,000 equipment and promotional package, all to help them share their passion for food or fitness on YouTube with you.

Representing the UK, we have FitBritsGB, who loves to cook easy meals from scratch, and one trainer, STRskillSchool who hosts an extremely popular football skills training school. They are among the 32 partners from six countries around the world.

YouTube Next Chef
The partners of the YouTube Next Chef class include self-taught chefs, cookbook authors, former restaurateurs and more. Their culinary styles range from making a full meal with just one pot to vegan desserts to gourmet on a budget, and represent five countries around the world. These partners will be taught by the finest folks in culinary arts, including editors from CHOW.com, YouTube Partners like Rob Nixon, and industry experts like Lee Allison.

YouTube Next Trainer
If fitness is your goal, our YouTube Next Trainers are here to help. This international group can teach you exercises based around city landscapes, fitness routines made for athletes, safe parkour training exercises, pilates made simple and more. Expect to see these partners get top tier training from our featured mentors Billy Blanks, YouTube Partners like DeStorm, and industry experts like Julie DelaBarre.

Stay tuned for weekly videos starting November 15 for YouTube Next Chef and November 23 for YouTube Next Trainer.

Austin Lau, YouTube Creator Programs, recently watched “The Coolest Extreme Skiing Dudes.”

Coldplay: Live from Madrid on YouTube

2011-10-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

With a string of number one singles and albums to their name, Coldplay are undoubtedly one of the biggest bands on the planet. So we’re thrilled that the group’s upcoming concert at the famous Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid will be streamed live on YouTube for fans around the world to enjoy online.

The concert starts at 9pm (BST)/10pm CET on Wednesday, October 26, and will be available through Coldplay’s official YouTube channel.

Coldplay will be celebrating the release of their new album, "MYLO XYLOTO", which features the singles "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" and "Paradise", and the concert will be directed by Anton Corbijn, the award-winning filmmaker and celebrated photographer famed for his masterful use of striking black-and-white imagery.

The concert marks the conclusion of American Express Unstaged, a six-part series of live events produced in collaboration with YouTube, Vevo and American Express. The five previous concerts have attracted more than 40 million views, with fans worldwide tuning in to watch live performances from the likes of Arcade Fire, John Legend & The Roots, and Duran Duran.

Because this is an open air concert, there’s a small danger that inclement weather might mean the concert is delayed or even cancelled. So put on your favourite Coldplay track and perform a sun dance!

For more information about the Coldplay concert and other live initiatives we’ll be bringing to YouTube in the coming months, visit www.youtube.com/live.

Enjoy the show!

Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK, recently watched "Chris Martin on working with Brian Eno and Rihanna".

Coming to a universe near you: YouTube Space Lab

2011-10-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Can plants survive beyond Earth? Can proteins observed in space reveal the mysteries of life? Science experiments aboard the International Space Station could unlock the answers and now we're giving you a chance to ask the questions. Today, we’re launching YouTube Space Lab with Lenovo, in cooperation with Space Adventures, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Space Lab is a new galactic channel on YouTube that will lift off from your laptop, taking you to interesting and awesome videos from around the world... and beyond.

Interested students are invited to come up with an idea for a science experiment that can be conducted in space and upload a video explaining it to YouTube. The YouTube community and a panel of distinguished scientists, astronauts and expert judges, including Professor Stephen Hawking, will pick the best ones. If your video is selected, it will be performed in the International Space Station (ISS) and live streamed on YouTube to the world.

We'll also throw in some out-of-this-world prizes: like ZERO-G flights, Lenovo IdeaPad laptops and your choice of either a trip to Tanegashima Island, Japan, to watch your experiment blast off in a rocket bound for the ISS, or—once you’re 18—a one-of-a-kind astronaut training experience in Star City, Russia, the training center for Russian cosmonauts. For more information on how to enter, including eligibility requirements and experiment guidelines, check out the competition page on the channel or the official rules.

All future astronauts and space enthusiasts can find inspiration in the space related content on YouTube.com/SpaceLab. Space Lab is just one of many educational channels available under YouTube.com/EDU. Educators can also visit YouTube.com/Teachers to learn how to better incorporate video into the classroom. We're developing a YouTube for Schools pilot aimed at making YouTube accessible in more schools. If you want to be notified when it's ready, sign up here.

Blast off now and be part of a global experiment where your teacher is an astronaut and your classroom, space!

Zahaan Bharmal, YouTube Space Lab lead, recently watched "Android in Space - Nexus S on Space Shuttle Atlantis".

YouTube now has movies in the UK

2011-10-07T02:31:00.000-07:00

Back in May we brought new release movies and more for rent to YouTube in the US. Last month, we took it to Canada. Now, over a thousand full-length feature films from major Hollywood and British studios are available for rent in the UK at youtube.com/movies.

We’ve got some cracking films to keep everyone entertained through the upcoming winter months and beyond. From blockbusters like The Dark Knight and Reservoir Dogs, to new releases such as Hanna, Fast Five, and Red Riding Hood, and even British classics like Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, you can find many of your favourite films in high quality available to rent now at youtube.com/movies.

There’s always more to explore on YouTube. Many movie pages also feature YouTube Movie Extras with free behind-the-scenes videos, cast interviews, parodies, clips and remixes from YouTube’s unique community of content creators. Over time we'll also be adding additional videos and features to YouTube Movie Extras so that you can get even more into movies on YouTube.

Britain has a long history of cinema, starting from the first moving pictures being developed on celluloid film in the UK. Now British film buffs can be part of the digital revolution too, at youtube.com/movies.

Matteo Vallone, YouTube Business Product Manager, recently watched “The Big Lebowski”.

The MacTaggart Lecture: Eric Schmidt Live On YouTube

2011-08-25T03:49:00.000-07:00

The MacTaggart Lecture is the cornerstone of the Edinburgh International Television Festival and is arguably the most important media address of the calendar. Delivered to the leading lights of the media world, this year the festival is making the speech available to YouTube users in a live stream direct from the Edinburgh International Conference Centre from 6.45pm (BST) this Friday, August 26.

Past speakers have included media magnate Rupert Murdoch, broadcaster Jeremy Paxman and the late great Dennis Potter, writer of series like “Karaoke” and “Lipstick On Your Collar”. This year Google Chairman Dr. Eric Schmidt will be giving the lecture where he’ll discuss how the TV business can make the most of the internet opportunity. Thanks to the live stream from the Media Guardian's International Television Festival channel, you'll get to hear the message in real time.

Taking place on 26-28 August 2011, the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival is the only industry event that brings together the great and the good, the heroes and villains, the stars of the screen and the people that made it all happen.

The festival weekend - now in its 36th year - will feature a line-up of over 50 sessions that focus on the year’s finest successes, address the current issues that face us all, and provide information, celebration and networking with the cream of the television industry and beyond.

To stay abreast of developments at the festival, simply subscribe to the MGEITF channel. And don't forget to tune in on Friday at 6.45pm (BST).

Laura Quinn, YouTube UK, recently watched "MacTaggart 2010 highlights".

YouTube partner Jamal Edwards stars in the new Google Chrome ad

2011-08-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

There are a few things that can determine whether or not you’ve “made it” in the music industry - a massive following, a music label and your own company, sure. But a TV commercial based on your success story? Now that’s making it!

YouTube partner Jamal Edwards stars in the latest Google Chrome ad in ‘’The web is what you make of it” series, which explores the amazing things people have done with the web.

The ad features the rise of 20-year-old Jamal Edwards, who is the founder and CEO of SB.TV, aka the UK’s leading online youth broadcast channel. He got his start four years ago when he began videoing friends and uploading them to his YouTube channel, SmokeyBarz. Now known as SB.TV, his channel has upwards of 61 million views and over 90,000 subscribers. The channel features impromptu live performances, behind the scenes footage, acoustic “back room” sessions and interviews.

Jamal has filmed some of the world’s biggest stars on SB.TV. Recently, he and his growing team have sat down with the likes of Jessie J, secured the first UK interview with Nicki Minaj and even chatted to the YouTube sensation Justin Bieber. He has recently signed a deal with Sony RCA giving him his own record label, Just Jam Records, and we can only imagine what’s in store.

The Google Chrome ad made its debut during "The X Factor" on Saturday. A coincidence that means a lot to Jamal as his mother, who makes an appearance in the ad, is a former contestant, coming fourth in the second series.

Check out the inspiring ad here, to see how Jamal used the power of the web to achieve his dreams:

Make sure to check out the other Google Chrome ads from ‘The web is what you make of it’ series.

Jayme Goldstein, YouTube UK, recently watched "SB.TV: Loick Essien - 'How We Roll' A64".

Celebrity Big Brother: Track the series on YouTube

2011-08-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

Big Brother is back and looks set to provide compelling viewing over the weeks to come -- for all sorts of reasons. Thanks to the Demand 5 channel and youtube.com/shows, you can stay abreast of all developments amongst the 11 housemates (10 if you consider Jedward to count as a single entity).

Demand 5 will be uploading full-length highlights shows at youtube.com/show/celebritybigbrother and will be providing a steady stream of clips to youtube.com/channel5bbuk, so be sure to subscribe to both for the latest Celebrity Big Brother updates.

Also remember that many of the housemates have developed their own channels on YouTube and have appeared in shows that can be watched in full here on YouTube:

Find out what Jedward choose to share with their online fans at youtube.com/JedwardTV.
Witness Amy Childs' best moments in the first series of "The Only Way Is Essex" thanks to ITV2.
Darryn Lyons runs an interesting channel over at youtube.com/mrpaparazziuk. A must for celebrity followers.
As for bare-knuckle champion Paddy Doherty, there has been no better reason to revisit "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" -- the full series is available at youtube.com/shows.

Enjoy the series,

Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK, recently watched "Jedward Boat".

Introducing the stars of the future - on YouTube today

2011-08-02T02:03:00.000-07:00

Back in June, we announced the YouTube NextUp competition in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom, a program to help YouTube Partners advance their YouTube careers.

Today we’d like to introduce you to the UK YouTube NextUp winners: an extremely talented bunch with a passion for video making. Local winners come from big cities and small towns across the country and are from all walks of life. Their channels are just as varied - from animation to music, from comedy improv to online drawing school. The group was selected through a combination of YouTubers, our institutional partners, and the hundreds of thousands who voted and helped these stars take off!

All YouTube NextUp winners, including the eight UK winners, will be given €20,000 and promotion across the platform. They’ll also travel to London in September to attend a YouTube Creator Camp for personalised training and mentoring to build their brands and improve their content.

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the YouTube NextUp winners so you can continue to follow their paths to stardom. And keep watching for news from the YouTube Next team this summer as we unveil new surprises for you around programmes and the creators’ content all over the world.

Sara Mormino, Senior Manager of Partner Development

YouTube is what you make it

2011-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Did you ever think you’d be a part of a revolution? Wonder if your contributions to the world would add up to something greater?

As we take the stage today at VidCon 2011, I can tell you for certain that they have. This two day gathering of annoying oranges, ukulele stars, voracious vloggers, super fans and thousands of other YouTubers like you is about changing the media landscape—one upload, view and mashup at a time. Not satisfied with just watching media, you've become the media. Not satisfied with flipping channels complaining there’s nothing on, you’ve created new ones with hundreds of millions of viewers, some of which will become as well known as networks like MTV, CNN and ESPN.

To all the people who are creating content on YouTube, THANK YOU. You have built the site into what it is today and we’re as committed as ever to providing you with the tools you need to make high quality videos and drive audiences to your channels. Initiatives like YouTube NextUp, the YouTube Creator Institute, and the revamped Creator Hub are part of this effort, as is the work we’re doing to make YouTube easy to watch on TV. And keep the feedback coming on Cosmic Panda - we look forward to re-inventing with you how YouTube works and feels in the future.

And if you weren’t able to make it to VidCon this year and are eager to catch some familiar YouTube faces, we’ll be livestreaming a special VidCon performance on Saturday at 5pm PT/1am BST. Come by and check it out!

Salar Kamangar, Head of YouTube, recently watched “VidCon 2011 Approaches.”

YouTube NextUp Europe: Funding, Training, Promotion and Networking

2011-06-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

Are you a YouTube partner? Do you have fewer than 50,000 subscribers? If so, then you could be part of the first wave of the YouTube NextUp programme in Europe, which is designed to support aspiring channels of all types to accelerate their progress and take the next step in their activities online.

Last year, our partners generated more than 100 billion views as part of our partner programme. We believe that the successful singers, dancers, actors, producers, musicians and make-up artists of the future are practicing their craft on YouTube today. Partners are key to our platform, and we want to see even more of them take the next step in their YouTube careers and turn their video hobbies into careers or even businesses.

So, today we’re announcing an initiative geared towards up-and-coming YouTube partners: YouTube NextUp. The goal of the project is to accelerate the growth of the next big YouTube stars. Up to 25 partners from around Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands) will be selected for the development programme, which consists of:

€20,000 funding to produce a new project, purchase new tools or advance their overall YouTube careers.
A place at a YouTube Creator Camp in which they’ll benefit from 1:1 mentoring and learn an array of production techniques from leading industry and YouTube experts.
Promotion of their final work and channel.
The opportunity to become better connected with a special community of aspiring and talented content creators from around the world.

We’re asking existing YouTube partners to apply with a short (up to three minute – no more, or it won't get watched) video that best represents their craft and the initiatives that they’d like to pursue on YouTube. We’re also asking for short written explanation of how they’ll use the €20,000, why they want to be part of the programme, and what they hope to learn at the YouTube Creator Camp. Partners can apply at the NextUp channel by midnight on June 28, 2011.

Our Partners succeed thanks to the support and interest of the YouTube community as a whole, so we’re encouraging users to cast their votes on the longlist of finalists from July 1 to July 9 at the channel. Once this public voting ends, a final shortlist of Partners will go forward to the final round, which will be judged by a panel of YouTube representatives. The members of the first YouTube NextUp programme in Europe will be announced on August 2.

So, if you are a partner and you have a) a clear idea of how you want to develop on YouTube, and b) can demonstrate the drive to do so, then you could well find yourself NextUp for YouTube fame.

Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK, recently watched "Love/Hate OOTD".

Thanks, YouTube community, for two BIG gifts on our sixth birthday!

2011-05-26T11:49:00.001-07:00

In May 2005, the YouTube founders launched YouTube.com, providing people with a platform to broadcast themselves to the world. Six years on, the world is watching and we wanted to say thank you to the YouTube community for a couple of amazing birthday presents.

First, your video. Back in November we challenged you to up the volume of videos you uploaded to the site. And boy, did you take the bait. Today, more than 48 hours (two days worth) of video are uploaded to the site every minute, a 37% increase over the last six months and 100% over last year. From videos documenting a baby’s first steps in San Francisco, Calif., to a protest in Syria, to a commencement speech at Yale University, we’re continually impressed and inspired by the quality and breadth (in addition to quantity) of videos that you upload to the site every day. On our end, we're constantly evolving to provide the best video sharing and viewing experience for you from faster processing of uploads to longer video lengths to the launch of self-service live stream capabilities to partners.

What can happen in two days, you ask?

You could drive non-stop across the country from our office in San Bruno, Calif. to New York City
You could undertake a massive movie marathon by watching the entire Back to the Future trilogy eight and a half times (we’d recommend you do that at YouTube Movies)
An ambitious cheetah (the fastest land animal at an average running speed of 75 mph) starting in South Africa could traverse 3600 miles of the African continent and reach Egypt

The other great birthday present? Your views. We’re amazed that over this last weekend, you drove YouTube past the 3 billion views a day mark, a 50% increase over last year. That’s the equivalent of nearly half the world’s population watching a YouTube video each day, or every U.S. resident watching at least nine videos a day.

The first six years of a person’s life are incredibly important for development. The same could be said for a company. For the last six years we’ve grown and evolved in our quest to push video forward and deliver the best possible experience to you. So when will we reach 72 hours a minute, or 4 billion views a day? That’s up to you. For our part, we'll continue to work at delivering the diversity and quality of content you're asking for, from live streams of music festivals to campaigns around social inspiration and change, rockstars in education to citizen-journalist coverage of global events and YOU showcasing your own talent. You’ve made YouTube successful because it’s a reflection of you and your world. If this is what we’ve accomplished together in six years, we can only imagine where you’ll take us in the next six!

The YouTube Team recently watched “An Adorable 6-Year-Old Dancer”.

You old romantics you…72 million live streams in 188 countries for the Royal Wedding on YouTube

2011-05-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are YouTube's newest megastars. Though half the globe was still in darkness, YouTube users from across the world got wedding fever for the Royal Household's official live stream of the landmark wedding on The Royal Channel.

The Royal Wedding was live streamed 72 million times around the world to 188 countries. Those who didn’t see it live still had an opportunity to don their fascinators and catch up with the re-broadcasts later in the day. When it was all said and done, the total streams on April 29, 2011 reached 101 million as romantics around the globe tuned in to watch the fairytale ceremony, the procession and the final balcony kiss.

And what a kiss it was…during the 10 seconds around the highly-anticipated Royal kiss, the YouTube channel site, powered by Google App Engine, experienced an additional 100,000 requests on top of the already high load … an effective additional 10,000 requests per second.

Live streams were highest in the UK and the US, but looks like love was in the air across the channel as well. The top 5 countries viewing the live event online were:

United Kingdom
United States
Italy
Germany
France

The online excitement extended to The Official Royal Wedding website. Since the launch on March 2, there have been approximately 37.7 million page views from 13.7 million visitors to the site, which was hosted on Google App Engine and built by Accenture.

The entire live stream of the Royal Wedding, along with video highlights can be found on The Royal Channel.

Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

Rachel Ball, partner development associate, recently watched “Best Wishes from Mr. McGrail's United States History Class.”

The Royal Wedding: Live On YouTube

2011-04-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

As the historic day approaches, the much-anticipated wedding of Britain's Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton has people around the world buzzing with excitement.

While millions will be in London for the big day, it's clear that people around the world have wedding fever. Google search trends show that in addition to the UK and the US, the top ten countries searching for “royal wedding” include places like Singapore and the Philippines. In response, we've been working to make as much of the big day as possible accessible to everyone. We previously announced the expansion of our Google Earth 3D imagery to offer a “Royals’-eye” view of the entire wedding procession, complete with 3D images of iconic landmarks and five species of digital trees that can be seen along the route.

Today, we’re thrilled that the Royal Household has just announced that footage of the entire ceremony will be live streamed on their official YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel.

The live stream will begin at 10:00am BST (9:00am GMT, 2:00am PT, 5:00am ET) on Friday, April 29, and will follow the wedding procession, marriage ceremony at Westminster Abbey and balcony kiss. Alongside the live stream, The Royal Channel will also feature live blog commentary of the event to give timely updates and insights as the day unfolds. For those of you in different time zones, the footage will be reshown in its entirety directly following the event and will be available in full on the site to view afterwards.

You don’t have to wait until the big day to "attend" the wedding, though. A video guest book has just been opened on The Royal Channel for anyone in the YouTube community to upload messages of congratulations, inspiration or well wishes to the happy couple.

More than 50 years ago, the marriage of The Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, and Antony Armstrong-Jones was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television and had over 20 million viewers. This wedding is already heralded as the first of the Internet age, where for the first time in thousands of years of royal history, the moment will be captured online and preserved forever.

Rachel Ball, Partner Development Associate, recently watched: "The Chapel Royal Choir prepares for The Royal Wedding".

This week's Trends: Black and Beckham

2011-04-19T02:23:00.001-07:00

Each weekday, we at YouTube Trends take a look at the most interesting videos and cultural phenomena on YouTube as they develop. We want take a moment to highlight some of what we've come across this week:

We saw Rebecca Black's "Friday" cross the 100 million view mark.
We tracked the debate around David Beckham's viral trick-shot clip.
We discovered new, dramatic footage from the Japanese tsunami.
We highlighted the return of Seattle's "Glee" flash-mob.
We collected exciting footage from a tornado in Wisconsin.
And this video started out big in Spain and Argentina and spread to the United States:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Insane Dude Dancing in Cardiff."

Looking back...

2011-04-01T00:02:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe that just a century ago, YouTube was a fledgling video site for paupers and presidents alike. Today, we celebrate 100 years of YouTube, and we thought we would reflect on our inaugural year with a re-print of our first blog post from 1911. In honor of this milestone, today’s homepage is a reproduction of how you might have viewed it 100 years ago. Check out some of the most popular videos of the time and be sure to try out our new upload mode which summons a horse-drawn carriage to pick up your video submission from your home. Here’s to another epoch of great video!

April 1911

Editor’s note: Welcome to YouTube! Today we’re honored to have President William Howard Taft as our guest blogger to celebrate our official site launch.

Ladies and gentlemen of these United States. We are living in an age in which, by exaggeration of the defects of our present condition, by false charges and responsibility for it against individuals and classes, by holding up to the feverish imagination of the less fortunate and the discontented the possibilities of a millennium, a condition of popular unrest has been produced.

Due to advancements in modern technology and the advent of the Edison kinetoscope, there is hope. And I venture to say that there is no other destination on the web which has taken more real steps of such progress than the YouTubes, making its debut today. Here, instantaneous expression of the people may be upheld. Great feats of strength may be honored! Here, industry may thrive and cinema appreciated in its rightful form.

I should be untrue to myself, to my promises, and to the declarations of the party platform upon which I was elected to office, if the incoming Congress is not aware of the importance of boxing cat videos and our shared human moments of folly. We should encourage this in every way feasible.

It is a very enterprising time in America. The Pedro Miguel Locks have just been completed as part of the Panama Canal, there are Nobel Prize rumors circulating around regarding Ms. Curie’s so-called “radium discovery”, and J.P. Morgan is building a steamship they say is unsinkable. Very enterprising times, indeed. One can only imagine what events will be recorded for all the world to see.

William Howard Taft, President of the United States of America, recently watched “Histeria! William Howard Taft - Theme From Taft.”

This week's Trends: Rebecca Black, global hits, and babies

2011-03-28T01:46:00.000-07:00

We tracked the influx of Rebecca Black covers and parodies that hit YouTube as the 13-year-old became a national phenomenon.
We looked at how popular cartoonists in Jordan have reacted to the major events taking place in North Africa and the Middle East.
We studied the search and viewing data behind March's three biggest trends.
We looked at some of the most popular viral clips from around the world.
We teamed up with Urlesque.com to explore why it is that family videos become so popular.
And we watched as Pixar Animator and YouTube Singer Nick Pitera's new Disney medley quickly picked up over a million views and became a most-shared clip:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Tornado in Hempfield."

Why Connecting your YouTube and Google Accounts Matters

2011-03-28T01:44:00.000-07:00

Over the last several months many of you who created a YouTube account before May 2009 may have seen prompters asking you to upgrade to a Google account. We first announced this transition in a blog post last July. In the coming weeks, all YouTube accounts created before May 2009 will need to complete the process of linking to a Google account. A Google account is a single-sign in system for accessing all Google products and services. Any existing email address can be used to create a Google account.

You’re probably asking yourself ‘‘Why am I being required to connect my YouTube Account with a Google Account?” Well, let’s use an analogy. Imagine instead of that sleek new mobile phone you bought last year, you were instead carrying around one of those big brick phones from the 90’s. It might still make calls, but it would be slow and bulky and unable to do 90% of what current smart phones do. Your old YouTube account is a lot like that cell phone. It still works, but it’s not as fast, secure and efficient as the Google Account we’re asking you to link to.

While we understand that change isn’t always welcome, we’re confident that this transition will result in a better experience for you on YouTube. Not only does connecting your YouTube account to a Google Account improve your account security, it will also give you better video recommendations and quick access to the very latest updates and features which our engineers are releasing on the site every week.

After linking to a Google Account, your YouTube username will stay the same. However, when you link to a Google Account, your old YouTube password won’t work anymore. After linking, you’ll instead need to use your Google Account password when you sign into YouTube.

If you’re having any issues, we’ve created a series of articles that you can reference for help. By clicking on the links below, you can learn how to easily solve some common issues that may arise in the linking process:

If you’re still experiencing difficulties, you can contact our support team. We know this process isn’t always easy, and it can sometimes be frustrating, but hang in there. Connecting your accounts will create a better, more up-to-date and secure YouTube experience and we’ll do our best to do everything we can to guide you through this process.

Michael Ortali, YouTube Web Developer, recently watched “Macarena - Los del Rio”

We All Know “Britain’s Got Talent”, But Does YouTube?

2011-03-11T03:49:00.000-08:00

Want to perform for David Hasselhoff? Got it in you to make Michael McIntyre laugh? Secretly long to see Amanda Holden up close? If so, read on, as “Britain’s Got Talent” has come to YouTube and is on the hunt for the next big star.

If you missed your chance to audition in person for the programme, you can upload your audition to YouTube to have an opportunity to be part of the biggest show in the country. “Britain’s Got Talent” is looking for all types: singers, dancers, animal acts, woodcutters, regurgitators, comedians, performance artists... you name it. All you have to do is upload your audition video to Britain’s Got Talent YouTube channel and you could join the race for £100,000 and a slot at the Royal Variety Performance.

To take part, head to the channel and follow the instructions to upload your audition video. The show’s producers will comb the entries, announcing a shortlist of around 50 contenders. Of these, up to 20 will get to do battle with Hasselhoff, McIntyre and Holden’s buzzers in a special YouTube audition.

So if you think that you – or a friend – has what it takes to stand alongside the likes of Susan Boyle, Paul Potts or Diversity, then get your camera out sharpish. Be warned: the deadline for submissions is March 24.

Have fun,

Kristen Bowen, Partner Manager and Jayme Goldstein, UK Product Marketing Manager, recently watched “Britain’s Got Talent 2010 - Tobias Mead Audition”

This Week's Trends: Oscars, Dansi, and Charlie Sheen

2011-03-07T03:42:00.001-08:00

We followed how auto-tune has spread from the United States across the Middle East and North Africa.
We figured out which Oscar nominees saw the biggest post-awards bumps in YouTube interest.
On the author's birthday, we studied the sometimes funny, sometimes touching trend of YouTube Dr. Seuss readings.
And we looked into just what in the world that "Apaci Dansi" video is actually all about.
We saw how satellite images can help add real perspective on dramatic footage from Libya.
And as the Charlie Sheen saga was unfolding, we examined how the YouTube community was reacting. Here's a sample:

Check back every day for the latest about what's trending on YouTube at: www.YouTube.com/Trends

Kevin Allocca, YouTube Trends Manager, recently watched "Wisdom Tooth Surgery - Eye Trauma."

Creative Use Of YouTube: Burberry Presents...

2011-02-21T03:27:00.000-08:00

With London Fashion Week hitting its stride, today we’re happy to hand the UK homepage over to Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer.

Since he joined the brand in 2001, it has undergone a wholesale transformation from a somewhat staid luxury name – albeit with a trademark check that struck a chord with a different demographic – to a design house that has arguably made the world think again about British design.

As a result, it has been fascinating to find out more about how he uses YouTube in the course of his work – and it’s great to be able to share that with you today:

The idea that Christopher Bailey isn’t beyond spending a few hours trawling YouTube for interviews with talents like David Bailey or Barbara Hepworth, listening to music from acts like Adele or Dusty Springfield, or just looking at videos of London in the snow is an interesting one. As he notes himself, it serves to reinforce the understanding that the internet – or, as Bailey notes, the work of people like Tim Berners-Lee – has revolutionised the way we live, play and learn.

Have fun, and enjoy the rest of what London Fashion Week has to offer,

Jamie Dolling, YouTube UK, recently watched “Burberry Spring/Summer 2011”.

The U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron takes your questions on the Middle East, global affairs and British domestic policy

2011-02-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

Last month, we introduced the YouTube World View program with a citizen-powered interview with U.S. President Barack Obama. Starting today, through World View, YouTube and Al Jazeera English are bringing you another chance to engage with one of the world’s preeminent leaders in a special interview: British Prime Minister David Cameron.

In light of current events, you’re invited to submit questions to Mr Cameron about foreign policy, national security, and how he views the present situation in the Middle East. In addition, you can also submit questions about issues related to domestic policy, so if you’re curious about the economy, education, health, or the big society, just go to www.youtube.com/worldview to submit your question in either video or text. You can also tweet in your question - make sure to use hashtag #askthePM in your tweet, and it will automatically be added to the World View queue.

Next Thursday, the Prime Minister will sit down for a special interview and answer a range of the most popular questions submitted by you. The interview will be available on YouTube on Friday, February 25. The deadline to submit your question is midnight GMT on Tuesday, February 22nd.

Interviews with President Obama and the Prime Minister, David Cameron, are just the start. We’ll be announcing more World View interviews in the coming months with other top leaders, and you can be sure that each of these interviews will be completely driven by your questions and votes. Who would you like to interview next? Leave your suggestions in the comments.

Ramya Raghavan, News and Politics Manager, and Jayme Goldstein, U.K. Product Marketing Manager, recently watched "Demonstrations in Al Bayda Libya"

Join us on YouTube for Carnival in Brazil

2011-02-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

Ever been to Carnival in Brazil? If you haven’t, you now have the chance to experience Brazil’s iconic celebration on the new YouTube Carnival channel via your computer or your mobile phone, from the streets of Salvador, Bahia, one of the largest cities in Brazil and carnival-rival only to sister-city, Rio de Janeiro.

The YouTube Carnival channel will offer live feeds to Salvador’s multi-day street fest from Thursday, March 3 to Thursday, March 8, or Fat Tuesday (literally, Mardi Gras). YouTube visitors worldwide will now be able to experience the music, dance and celebrations of Brazil’s Carnival (or Carnaval, as it’s referred to in Brazilian Portuguese).

As part of the transmission line-up, you’ll be able to:

Watch many of the city’s most popular carnival bands (called trio elétricos) including Ivete Sangalo and other Carnaval artists performing to the rhythms of African-influenced axé music in the midst of the enormous block parties unique to Salvador’s version of the Brazilian carnival;
Feel the energy of the celebration through street-site coverage from different parts of the city throughout the six-day festival;
Access video-clips of music, greatest hits, practices and performances from the festival uploaded to YouTube in high-definition.

Coming up on February 19, 2011
On Saturday, February 19 at 15:30 ET (18:30 Brasília time), get in the mood for the festivities by tuning in to a live transmission of the Carnival rehearsal of Ivete Sangalo, one of the most popular singers of the Brazilian Salvador festival.

Join YouTube in Salvador
Those who happen to be in the city of Salvador to experience Carnival in-person can do so at the YouTube camarote, one of the several cabins along the city’s main avenues offering refreshments, performances of local DJs and an environment designed to help participants enjoy the celebration. Find out how to buy a pass (also known as an abadas) directly at www.youtube.com/carnaval.

Flávia Simón, Marketing Manager Brasil, recently watched “Ivete Sangalo ao vivo no YouTube dia 19/02.”