YouTube Adds MGM Content to Take On Hulu

YouTube is set to announce a deal Monday with MGM to host some of studio’s content, its latest move to position itself as a player in the commercial online video space.

Initial offerings from the fabled MGM library are pretty weak — highlights include episodes of “American Gladiators” and clips from “Legally Blonde.”

But any crack in the wall with Hollywood is good for YouTube, which dominates user-generated content — and, to the chagrin of Hollywood, perhaps user-stolen content as well.

While YouTube has become the leading brand of online video, it has yet to figure out how to monetize its success in any major way. Meanwhile it faces upstart competition from such services as Hulu, which had 6.3 million visitors in September, according to Nielsen, and more than 100 sponsors.

Read more: wired.com