Beet.TV has learned that You Tube will introduce new functionality to its platform tonight which will allow users to organize clips around specific categories.  3/29, 2:00 p.m. EST: — Oops, hold the presses: I’ve been looking at YouTube and this aspect has not gone live.  Sorry for the false start on this.

— Andy

Update and Clarification: 3/29, 2:30  EST — Sorry for the bad reporting on the personalization of categories on YouTube. That’s not the development.  What was introduced last night  is this page,  Featured Video by Category.

— Andy

We Have the Real Story! 4/1 YouTube has "officially" explained the site revisions.  Please see my post and link to YouTube.

— Andy 

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Up to now, clips saved to an account or uploaded to dedicated channel are organized in what often seems a random process — usually arranged chronologically, but not always.

The new interface will allow users to organize clips according to designated categories.  So, for example, music clips can be organized around artists or vacations can be organized around specific activities.  For broadcasters and other mainstream media, there will be the utility to make their presence more organized, putting specific shows in order.

There has been a way to organize clips on a limited basis through the existing Playlist button, but a source at YouTube tells me that the new functionality will be considerably more useful.

To me this seems makes YouTube much more "Flickr-like" — a platform were users can organized content themselves.  This is quite an interesting development.

So, keep an eye on YouTube later tonight – I am told the update will happen sometime around midnight EST.

Here at Beet.TV, we’ve been quite pleased with the growth of our presence on YouTube with our own channel.  Check it out and subscribe to the YouTube feed. 

Andy Plesser

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