For most people, Youtube is a place to watch music videos and cats being adorable, and even better, all for free. Youtube began hosting movies and shows in 2009, and added a rental feature the next year. This was the first time money could be charged for content on Youtube. A new type of pay-for-content feature is expected to arrive soon, the paid subscription channel. For $1 to $5 a month, you could view a channel or certain content on that channel. This will most likely be used for high traffic and specific interest channels, like sports or cars. Content creators could choose whether or not to make their channel more exclusive, whether it is ESPN or Machinima, or private parties like Smosh or Fred. There are mixed feelings about the new model, some think that the payment feature will turn away viewers, others think the loyal subscribers will be willing to pay the small fee for their favorite videos.

  On the creator side, Youtube can be a lucrative business. Like a virtual Hollywood, Youtube can display your face to millions, if they like you. Due to the sporadic nature of the viewer’s interest, a video that takes weeks or months of your time about a tragedy could be passed over with only a couple hundred views, while someone could scream at the camera for five minutes and be featured with thousands of new views a day, or the situation could be reversed. If you consistently create high view videos and accumulate millions of subscribers, you can become and independent partner, giving you access to ad revenue. Some independent partners have found their niche and hit Internet gold, pumping out videos and raking in money from the ads embedded in their videos. Here are their estimated 2009-2010 earnings.

Natalie Tran: $101,000

The Young Turks: $112,000

Smosh: $113,000
Mediocre Films: $116,000

Shady Carl: $140,000

Fred: $146,000

Ryan Higa: $151,000

Philip DeFranco: $181,000

Shane Dawson: $315,000

The Annoying Orange: $288,000