Kiwi TV hits YouTube

TVNZ boss Rick Ellis believes YouTube will act as a brochure for its sites. Photo / NZ Herald

TVNZ has signed a deal with Google to add its content to YouTube.

The non-exclusive partnership creates a branded channel on the popular site,

It will offer a combination of short video clips both from current programming and its large archive.

It is similar to a deal announced last month between YouTube and the BBC.

It will give international exposure to TVNZ local content, and act as a "brochure" for TVNZ's other onlines sites TVNZ ondemand and tvnz.co.nz.

TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis says the move is another significant step in the company's strategy of "Inspiring New Zealanders on Every Screen".

First up on the new channel will be video from popular shows like Mai Time and 20/20, a Sunday exclusive with Keisha Castle-Hughes and chat snippets with Shortland Street stars.

YouTube was sold to Google last year by founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen for $1.65 billion ($NZ2.15 billion).

- NZ HERALD STAFF