In a not-so-surprising move, YouTube has begun allowing advertisements to their video streams, adding revenue to the site’s owners AND contributers! What does that mean for you? Well here’s a quote from the site’s blog that explains more:

“Today we’re offering select partners the ability to incorporate YouTube InVideo ads into their content. These are animated overlays that appear on the bottom 20 percent of a video. If you’re interested by what you see there, clicking on the overlay launches a deeper interactive video ad that we think is relevant and entertaining. (The video you were watching is temporarily paused.) If you choose not to click on the overlay, it will simply disappear, so that you’re in full control of your YouTube experience.”

My review of the matter… If the ads truly only affect the video-watching experience when you click on them, then that’s great. But if they become similar to how Fox butchers Formula 1 racing events by having half-screen ads display during the broadcast that block the racing action, then I believe YouTube should rethink their revenue strategy.