The Growth Of YouTube
Since its launch in 2006, YouTube has grown drastically, sharing videos of cats, tutorials and endless possibilities. As independent content creators gain popularity, traditional media often presents a struggle to understand the concept of a person making a living out of filming themselves speaking to a camera for five minutes. This misunderstanding often creates a clear, condescending opinion of a journalist working for a major publication.
In a recent article published in the Sunday Edition of The New York Times entitled, “Seen and Nerd,” journalist John Glancy interviewed two YouTube stars named Dan Howell and Phil Lester—the duo have a collective subscriber count of over eight million. YouTube still holds a false reputation built entirely off of the “fact” that most YouTube personalities do not put any effort into their videos. The Internet, however, as efficient as it is, will always have content that is misinformed and untrustworthy.
It is a journalist’s job to be informed and respectful when conducting interviews. In this case, however, Glancy inserts his own comments with negative connotations such as, “Aren’t they getting a bit old for larking about on YouTube?” He is twenty-eight, the same age as Lester, but his condescending questions subtly implied that his work is superior to the videos that the two create online. When interviewing anyone, regardless of their work, it’s important to be objective. If you have an opinion, write an opinions article. Do not write an informative article and ask why they decided to share their lives on the Internet—especially the address to their flat.
His questions are confrontational and unnecessary: “I ask Dan what he thinks about the persistent rumours that he is gay.” Putting someone in a situation that forces them to speak about their private life is uncomfortable, but apparently, seeing as he is an internet celebrity, it surely must have been perfectly acceptable to ask that. As a traditional journalist, it is understandable that Glancy is not used to interviewing YouTube celebrities, but it’s his responsibility to be impartial when writing a “spotlight” article. He personally questions how much money Howell and Lester deserve, inferring that much of their success is owed to their role as “sex icons,” instead of their content.
Glancy also puts down all of the “crazy” teenage girls. “I find it hard to believe that these intelligent grown men aren’t starting to find it odd playing entertainer to young children,” he said. Teenagers have been labeled as dramatic and obsessive by older generations simply because our culture and the social norms have changed since they were teenagers.
We are capable of having mature conversations. At the same time, we recognize the potential impact we have on our own future and take matters into our own hands—whether participating in a protest or taking time to listen and to learn from others. This article reveals a greater issue—society dictates what is expected of teenagers, and when we don’t necessarily follow all of these rules, we are irrational and a lost cause. Perhaps the phrase “Back in my day…” rings a bell.
YouTube has become a community that allows viewers and creators to connect. This contrast to the distance formed by a television or movie theater screen has appealed to people of all ages. Female teenagers have often been shamed of being passionate about anything, especially when it comes to idolizing celebrities. However, the main distinction between fans and viewers is that YouTube has become a powerful tool to communicate and share knowledge online. It has inspired so many people with powerful videos, ranging from “coming out” vlogs to a simple video made to make someone smile.
As the concept of an “online celebrity” is growing, many, often older, people will judge the credibility of content creators. However, the effort it takes for one person to write, film and edit a video is quite an undertaking. People turn to Youtube because the content is more intimate than a scripted television show. It gives the opportunity to discover passions within sub-communities including sports, entertainment, cooking, science and much more.
As YouTube grows and companies begin to use it as a way to reach new potential consumers, the gap between the viewer and creator increases. There’s not much anyone can do about that, but recognizing that not all content on the site is authentic is important. Most independent video creators began their channels with no interest in views and subscriptions, and these people are now the ones that have the power to influence young, impressionable minds while still reciprocating respect as equals. The traditional media puts actors and actresses above “us regular folk,” but the connections and conversations that are possible to engage in online create a more personal experience. Uplifting YouTube videos are more empowering than the standard “beautiful” actors and actresses on television.
In fact, the world of online video is only growing, and as someone who used to hate people just for playing video games and filming their reactions, I’ve come to respect their dedication. It’s inspiring to see a person taking change of their own life and loving what they do while still making people around the world laugh. The future of YouTube is unknown, but it is our responsibility to make the impact on our world positive, and we cannot do that by putting others down for following individual passions. ♥