Will consumers put down the remote and tune into YouTube?

The Google -owned site is getting closer to finding out.

The video giant is finalizing contracts for its first of more than a dozen "channels" featuring regularly scheduled content on big broad themes such as fashion and sports, according to people familiar with the matter.

YouTube has requested some content for the channels within the next 60 days, according to one of these people, as it considers a launch in early 2012.

A Google spokesman said, "We don't comment on rumor or speculation."