YouTube yesterday launched a Paris Hilton "Brand Channel" sponsored by Fox's Prison Break and aimed at promoting the multi-talented heiress's debut album Paris.

The initiative hopes to generate revenue by incorporating advertising and sponsorship in separate channels where it can be avoided by hardline anti-ad YouTube users.

In parallel with the Hilton channel, YouTube rolled out what it calls "participatory video ads" (PVAs). According to Reuters, the first PVA was for Weinstein Co's movie Pulse which "appeared as a video commercial on the YouTube home page that users could rate, share and comment on" - just like any other YouTube content.

Down at the Paris Hilton channel, meanwhile, there's a predictable collection of vids and music but, sadly, no trace of One Night in Paris or the Carl's Jr Spicy BBQ Burger cavort - something which will disappoint fans looking for some hot footage of Ms Hilton chewing meat. ®

Related stories

• Paris: 'stop exposing me' (30 January 2007)
• Paris Hilton laid bare on net (25 January 2007)
• Wobbly Belgian politico becomes YouTube star (16 October 2006)
• Google swallows YouTube for $1.65bn (9 October 2006)
• Google to buy YouTube for $1.6bn - reports (6 October 2006)
• Warner Music embraces YouTube (18 September 2006)
• Web 2.0: if you're not on the list, you're not coming in (31 August 2006)
• Free legal music downloads in time for Christmas (29 August 2006)
• eBay dials Google for 'click-to-call' advertising (29 August 2006)
• Paris Hilton jumps the shark (25 August 2006)
• Comment AOL big four media deal tramples long tail (25 August 2006)
• Paris Hilton may play movie Mother Teresa (14 February 2006)
• Paris Hilton burger cavort crashes website (24 May 2005)
• Paris Hilton's Sidekick hacked (21 February 2005)