YouTube Originals Will Be Available for Free but with Ads Starting September

YouTube Originals are YouTube’s scripted programs available on YouTube Premium, formerly known as YouTube Red. YouTube Premium is a paid service that costs $12 a month that allows you to enjoy ad-free access, downloads, access to all YouTube Originals and background play on YouTube and YouTube Music Premium.

YouTube recently announced plans to scale back YouTube Originals concluding that the shows should have a home on the ad-supported side instead of just being behind a paywall. In what it calls “Single Slate“, YouTube will now combine ad-supported and subscription video-on-demand(VOD) programming initiative for YouTube Originals.

It is worth noting not all Originals will be available for free, other shows will exclusively be tucked behind the paywall such as Cobra Kai season two. Also, existing Premium members can still enjoy perks such as early access to the Originals, offline viewing, exclusive access to directors cuts and extra scenes.

Other features added to YouTube Premium include:

A Recommended Downloads section in the YouTube app Library tab that will make it easier to find interesting videos to download.
The option to switch between a song and a music video with the tap of a button
You can now automatically download up to 500 songs from your Liked Songs list and other playlists but this option is limited to Android users only.

According to its YouTube help support website, Google states that it will be changing the viewing experience in that you won’t have to get a paid subscription to YouYube Premium to watch its Originals starting from September 24th.

This is exciting especially for me so now I can re binge-watch Lifeline, Impulse, Liza on Demand, Buzzfeed Broke, Mind Field, Origin, Youth & Consequences, Step Up: High Water, Fight of the Living Dead, Foursome, Squad Wars, Good Game, Single by 30, Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television, Escape the Night and Scare PewDew Pie.