SAN MATEO, Calif. -- YouTube, a consumer media company for people to watch and share original videos through a Web experience, today announced new advertising concepts -- Participatory Video Ads (PVA) and Brand Channels -- the first step toward defining a new advertising model for video entertainment on the Internet. These new strategies complement YouTube's current offerings which include banner ads, promotions and sponsorships. With this, the community and marketer can now participate in the advertising experience in a mutually beneficial way.

YouTube's first Brand Channel partner is Warner Bros. Records for Paris Hilton around her debut album, "Paris," released globally today. The Paris Hilton Channel is sponsored by Fox Broadcasting Company's "Prison Break," the second season of which premiered Monday, August 21 (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET/PT). The pop singer has created an original broadcast for the YouTube community taking advantage of the new PVA offering on the YouTube homepage. Weinstein Company, in a campaign created by interactive agency Deep Focus, experienced great success with the first-ever PVA promotion on YouTube for the current feature film "PULSE." Fox Broadcasting Company, working with digital communications agency Organic, Inc., also utilized the new PVA in conjunction with the Paris Hilton sponsorship to promote the Fall Season launch of the hit show "Prison Break."

"Our vision is to build a new advertising platform that both the community and advertisers will embrace. Our announcement today is just the beginning of the many new ad concepts we will be rolling out over the coming year," said Chad Hurley, CEO and Co-Founder of YouTube. "This new medium requires finding a balance between traditional online advertising and new creative approaches that engage consumers in an active way. Advertisers now have a highly targeted opportunity for aligning their brands alongside the entertainment experience people are enjoying on YouTube."

"Paris Hilton and YouTube are both pop culture phenomena. So, it makes sense that Paris is part of this exciting initiative, and be first," said Robin Bechtel, Head of New Media, Warner Bros. Records.

YouTube Inc.