YouTube attracting ads from media companies

San Francisco: Google's YouTube Internet video site has started attracting advertising from media companies including CBS and video-game maker Electronic Arts, the New York Times reported.

The ads, which appear on only a small portion of the millions of videos available on YouTube, may mark the start of improved relations between Google and copyright owners who had complained about unauthorised posting of their content on the site, the newspaper said.

A new Google system called Video ID lets media companies claim videos that were posted without authorisation and start displaying advertisements alongside them, the newspaper said.

Ninety per cent of copyright claims made using the system are converted into advertising opportunities, the newspaper said, citing YouTube product manager David King.