Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

YouTube will let everyone watch Cobra Kai, other Originals, for free

Simon Cohen
By

Cobra Kai - Season 2In a change of strategy, Google decided to make all of YouTube’s new original series and specials available for free, with ads starting this year. The move comes after speculation that YouTube was struggling to make its YouTube Premium subscription-only plan a viable way to pay for the ongoing development costs of its Originals content.

Initially, shows like the popular Cobra Kai were only available to YouTube Premium and YouTube TV subscribers. Earlier in 2019, YouTube confirmed that it would switch to an ad-supported model for this content, but not until 2020. It appears those plans have moved up aggressively. Beginning this fall, the first two seasons of Cobra Kai will be made available for free, starting with season 1, from August 29 to September 11. Season 2 will be released on an episode-per-week basis starting September 11.

Related Videos

It’s not a complete teardown of the YouTube Premium paywall, but the company is promising more of its Originals will show up as ad-supported titles soon, including supernatural drama Impulse and comedy Liza On Demand, starring Liza Koshy. “For today’s viewers, primetime is personal, and our content resonates so strongly due to the diversity and richness of our unmatched library and platform capabilities,” YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl said at the Brandcast event for ad executives on Thursday, May 2, Variety reports. “While every other media company is building a paywall, we are headed in the opposite direction.”

Hoping to bolster support for the move to an ad-supported model for its premier content, YouTube released the results of a survey, which purport to show that Cobra Kai is the most “in-demand” digital series in the world right now. We’re not entirely sure what to make of this claim, as the concept of “in-demand” is hardly an industry standard. The stat is the result of Parrot Analytics using a combination of “video consumption (streaming and downloads), social media engagement (hashtags, liking, sharing) as well as research actions (reading about shows, writing about shows, etc.); the more consumer effort is required, the more importance the company attaches to each factor,” according to Samuel Stadler, Parrot Analytics’ vice president of marketing.

Using the in-demand metric, Parrot Analytics places Cobra Kai well above CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery and Netflix’s Stranger Things. Metrics aside, it’s worth noting that ad-supported models for content that was once subscription-only are picking up steam. Hulu recently dropped the price of its ad-supported tier and saw an explosion in subscribers. Both Google and Amazon introduced ad-supported tiers to their music services, intended to grab new listeners among those who use Alexa and Google Assistant devices, like the Echo Plus and Google Home.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Houston vs Miami live stream: Watch for free online
how to watch final four in virtual reality ncaa

The NCAA tournament is back underway today with 1-seed Houston taking on 5-seed Miami University in the Sweet 16. This is a game you don’t want to miss, and you may be wondering how to watch March Madness online. The Houston vs Miami television broadcast is being handled by CBS, which means you’ll be able to watch the live stream on some of the best live TV streaming services, as long as they provide access to your local CBS channel. We’ve tracked down the best places to watch Houston vs Miami online, so read onward for more details. We’ve even nailed down a couple of ways to watch the live stream for free.
Watch the Houston vs Miami live stream on FuboTV

FuboTV is one of the best places to watch NCAA basketball throughout the season, and today it’s the place to watch the Houston vs Miami, NCAA tournament game as it offers your local CBS network as part of its channel lineup. FuboTV is a TV streaming service that’s geared for sports lovers, as it offers more than 150 channels that include ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, NBA TV, MLB Network, and several Fubo original sports channels. You’ll be able to watch the Houston vs Miami game with a FuboTV subscription, but if you’ve never subscribed to FuboTV before you can take advantage of a 7-day FuboTV free trial. This will allow you watch the Houston vs Miami live stream for free.

Read more
Texas vs Xavier live stream: Watch March Madness for free
atlanta falcons new stadium incredible retractable roof high tech amenities 2

The NCAA basketball tournament’s Sweet 16 round closes out today, and if you want to see who makes it to the Elite Eight in the Texas vs Xavier game, you’re probably wondering about the best way to watch March Madness online. CBS has the television coverage of the Texas vs Xavier game. This means you’ll be able to access the online live stream a number of different ways, including with some of the best live TV streaming services. So whether you’ve ditched your cable subscription or you’re traveling during game time, we’ve found the best ways to watch the Texas vs Xavier game online, and we’ve even found a few ways to watch the game for free.
Watch the Texas vs Xavier live stream on FuboTV

You’ll be able to access your local CBS station through FuboTV, which is one of the best streaming TV services for sports lovers, and one of the best places to watch NCAA basketball throughout the season. FuboTV really is a streaming service made for sports lovers, as its channel lineup includes dozens of sports networks that include the ESPN networks, the FS networks, Golf Channel, NBA TV, MLB Network, and several Fubo original sports networks. A FuboTV subscription gets you access to all sorts of live sports coverage, but a FuboTV free trial is also available, which will allow new subscribers to watch the Texas vs Xavier game for free.

Read more
Sweden vs Belgium live stream: How to watch for free (legally)
A soccer field.

Sweden vs Belgium is likely to be a great Euro 2024 qualifying match to watch. Both sides tend to offer strong performances even if they don't tend to be at the final. If you're looking for a Sweden vs Belgium live stream, you're in luck. We've got all you need to know about how to watch Euro 2024 qualifying matches and we're focusing on this one which is being aired on Fox Sports 1. There's even a way to watch the Sweden vs Belgium live stream for free. Here's how to do so.
Watch Sweden vs Belgium live stream on FuboTV

For sports fans, FuboTV is easily one of the best live TV streaming services they could sign up for. It's also the perfect place to check out Sweden vs Belgium for free. A FuboTV free trial is available giving you access to everything the streaming giant has to offer for seven days. Besides being able to watch the Sweden vs Belgium live stream for free, you can check out other games as well as other sports or TV shows. FuboTV also has the exclusive rights to other Euro 2024 qualifying matches that may not be shown on Fox Sports. There's also MLB Network, NHL Network, NBC and USA Network (perfect for the Premier League) and entertainment channels too. It costs from $75 per month.

Read more