Farewell, free content? YouTube is in talks with Lions Gate, Sony, and Warner Bros. about allowing its users to stream movies on a rental basis—the video giant’s first steps toward charging for content instead of airing it free with ads. The Google subsidiary already has some movies available, but they’re not new releases. The new arrangement would let users rent movies on YouTube the same day they’re released on DVD; a spokesman says the site is always aiming to build on “its great relationships with movie studios and on the selection and types of videos we offer our community.” Prices for the new movie rentals will probably be $3.99, equal to what iTunes charges.
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