AOL will shut AOL Video Uncut, its user generated video YouTube competitor in early December.

AOL Video Uncut launched in 2006 with promises of greatness, targeted at AOL’s strong base of IM users. The service did get off to a rough start, with reports from the time saying “UnCut started with some dismal functionality, and lacked the features necessary to compete with the likes of YouTube”

PaidContent notes that AOL relied on third party technology (originally VideoEgg) and that the growing decline in user generated video sites may have broader effects on platform providers.

I’d say something along the lines of how sad it is to see AOL Video Uncut fold, but until today, I’d never heard of the service, and given its complete failure, I’m betting most of you reading this wouldn’t have heard of it either.

AOL Video Uncut joins recent AOL closures including XDrive, Bluestring and AOL Pictures.