How to join the UCB Multi-Channel Network on YouTube

If you manage a public-facing UC Berkeley-affiliated YouTube channel, you can opt into the UC Berkeley Multi-Channel YouTube Network. 

IMPORTANT:  The unit or channel owner is responsible for ensuring all videos published since December 2, 2022, have accurate captions and compliant color contrast.  There is no financial support from the Digital Accessibility Program available for these videos.

Why should I joining the UCB Multi-Channel Network on YouTube?

The Digital Accessibility Program will pay to caption:

  •  all (non-lecture) videos published on your channel between December 2, 2020 and December 2, 2022.
  •  all (non-lecture) videos published on your channel before December 2, 2020, with over 750 views.

Ultimately, it is your responsibility to ensure your content is accessible. However, by joining the UC Berkeley Multi-Channel YouTube Network, you are partnering with Berkeley IT’s Digital Accessibility Program and bConnected. We can offer you support and guidance and facilitate the use of accessibility services.

How do I join the UCB Multi-Channel Network?

  1. Email improving-accessibility@berkeley.edu with your request to join. In your request, please include:

    1. URL of the YouTube Channel.

    2. Name and Email Address of the primary point of contact for this channel.  

  2. Accept the invitation from YouTube to join the UC Berkeley network. You can accept the invitation either in your channel's YouTube Studio, or by accepting the email invitation sent to the account used to establish your channel. 

How to accept the invitation in YouTube Studio 

  1. Log in to your departmental YouTube account.
  2.  Navigate to YouTube Studio.
  3.  Navigate to your YouTube Studio Dashboard.
  4.  Accept the invitation that is "pending" from UC Berkeley.

This is typically the easiest way to link your department YouTube account to the UCB Mutli-Channel Network. 

How to accept the invitation in your email 

  1. Open the email invitation you have recieved directly from YouTube. 
  2. Select the link "make the changes in YouTube Studio" in the email.
  3. Accept the invitation that is "pending" from UC Berkeley in your YouTube Studio Dashboard.

NOTE: YouTube will only send the email invitation to the email account that was used to establish your channel. Sometimes, departments no longer have access to this email account. That is okay - the invitation can still be accepted in the YouTube Studio Dashboard. 

The email invtiation will state: “UC Berkeley has indicated that you have a business relationship with them that requires access to your account and allows them to manage your YouTube payments. If this is correct, you can make the change in YouTube Studio. If you think you’ve received this email in error, feel free to ignore it.”

Please know that this is a standard template from YouTube - we are unable to change the terminology or language of this request.

YouTube invitation to join the UC Berkeley network

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to join? 

 No. You are not required to join the network. You are still required to ensure all of your videos posted between December 2, 2020, and December 2, 2022, and videos posted before December 2, 2020, with over 750 views, are accurately captioned by December 2, 2025.

Am I still going to have access to my channel? 

Yes. You will have the same access to your channel as you have now. 

Will my videos be moved to a new channel? 

No. Your videos will stay on your account. There will be no change to your account videos, URL, or content.

Are you going to monetize my videos? 

No. Absolutely not. It’s standard notification from YouTube and something we can not turn off.

Will you make any changes to my channel or my videos? 

Not at all. The only update we will make is to add accurate caption files to your eligible YouTube videos. 

What will happen to my channel after I join? 

On your end, it will look and function the same. The only change is that we have the permissions necessary to add captions to your YouTube videos. 


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