Over the past few months YouTube has been signing several deals with studios and content providers to add their full-length films and TV shows to their network, most notably a back catalog of TV shows from Sony Pictures that includes The Young And The Restless, Alf, Barney Miller, and I Dream Of Jeannie. For Canadians it hasn't been big news as all of the content has been restricted in access to American users only. That's starting to change. Manga Entertainment has just added Astro Boy, the animated television series from the 1980's and early 00's (sadly, not the original 1960's series which gave birth to Anime) along with other anime series and yes, this is open to Canadians too. I've included the pilot "The Birth Of Astro Boy" below. 

Secondly, YouTube has signed a deal to offer the upcoming motion picture "Home", a nature documentary produced by Luc Besson (The Professional, Fifth Element) and directed by famed animal photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand which will be "a powerful statement on the state of our planet". The film is set for an online release of June 5th, World Environmental Day. To promote the upcoming release YouTube has launched a set of channels devoted to the production including a trailer and behind-the-scenes mini-documentaries. When it launches, the film will be available throughout multiple countries, in English, French, German, and Spanish, and will also be released in traditional theatres, on television, and across large screens in special real world events.