Jennifer Garner et al to Be Featured on YouTube's New Channels

Today Google and YouTube host "Brandcast," the company's first-ever upfront event, in New York City. "Brandcast" will highlight YouTube's new original channels and opportunities for brands to reach diverse audiences on YouTube and right across Google, including demographics like women, teens, young men, and multicultural audiences. This is happening as online video consumption continues to grow, with three billion hours of video a month watched on YouTube by more than 800 million viewers around the world.

"At YouTube, we're not just re-imagining video - we're re-imagining brand-building on the web." said Google's VP for Global Video Sales, Lucas Watson. "The world's most important brands are increasingly looking to reach the diverse audiences YouTube attracts, which is why Unilever, Toyota, GM, and AT&T have already jumped on board and are building their brands alongside these new YouTube channels."

Ahead of the event, the company today announced additional YouTube channels, along with consumer trend research. New partners and channels include filmmakers Jon Avnet and Rodrigo Garcia, the U.S. Olympic Committee, collaborations between Tribeca Enterprises and Maker Studios, and a new show from Machinima and Halo Waypoint.

- New Partners and Channels -

YouTube welcomes filmmakers Jon Avnet (BLACK SWAN, Fried Green Tomatoes, Risky Business) and Rodrigo Garcia (Albert Nobbs, In Treatment, Mother and Child), who have joined forces to create WIGS (youtube.com/wigs), a channel producing original, scripted dramatic series and short films about the lives of women. Virginia Madsen, Stephen Moyer, Caitlin Gerard, Jennifer Garner, Alfred Molina and Julia Stiles star in the first three series, with Jennifer Beals, America Ferrera, Dakota Fanning, Michael C. Hall, Alison Janney and other acclaimed actors starring in upcoming series. The content will also feature documentaries, behind-the-scenes videos, and other unscripted content, all starring female leads, and will launch in May.

Also coming to YouTube is the TeamUSA channel (youtube.com/teamusa) from the United States Olympic Committee, which will include original content featuring 2012 U.S. Olympians, hopefuls and legends from years' past, instruction from Olympic sport coaches, and historical Olympic Games footage. The channel will be sponsored by AT&T.