YouTube wants to be the online store for streaming video services, offering customers an à la carte menu of channels they can subscribe to.

Insiders tell the Wall Street Journal that YouTube has been working on this service for 18 months, and has recently “renewed talks” with various entertainment giants about participating.

YouTube has more than two billion monthly logged-in users, according to Google, which gives it a built-in advantage when trying to launch such a service.

YouTube TV currently offers a large selection of cable channels for A$89 a month, similar to Foxtel. This newer model would allow customers to subscribe to each channel individually.

“The pitch is that the new YouTube channel store would offer great marketing for streaming services because consumers could watch trailers of shows or movies free on YouTube and then easily pay to subscribe to the service,” writes WSJ.

While most streaming services aim to bundle as many networks’ content as possible, this approach is closer to the traditional cable model, where networks are the selling point, rather than individual pieces of content.

YouTube TV is its $64.99-a-month online package of cable channels

The service may launch as soon as the fourth quarter of 2022.