Mikayla Owen

Doran

ENC 2135

22 March 2017

Youtube: The media Empire

Over the past 15 years, technology has become a staple in our populations day to day

life. All different types of new technology, new business opportunities, and new career paths

have emerged into our economy. Social Media platforms, phones, watches, and laptops all are

continuously changing and evolving. One of a popular social media platform, Youtube, started

out very bumpy but is now one of the most common websites in the world today creating an

audience for Youtube creators and also creating a career as well. Most popular Youtubers rely

solely on this industry for a source of income. With the growing advances of technology, the

questions that remains: is making a career on Youtube sustainable in 2017 and the future?

Founded in 2005, Youtube had the first video uploaded on April 23, 2005 by the Youtube

co-founder, James Karim. The concept of uploading, sharing, watching videos that anyone could

make was new and quickly became very trendy. The site was fully operational just before the

end of 2005, and, within a matter of months, had become one of the fastest-growing websites in

the world (Christensen 37). With the fast-growth, young uploaders called Youtubers could

share passions, stories, lives, and turn their hobbies into income. More and more watchers and

Youtubers started paying attention to this fast growing empire. Youtubes content became a very

wide variety from gaming to makeup tutorials.

 Since 2007, when Google bought Youtube for $1.65 Billion, Youtube was the most

popular entertainment website in Britain (Burgess 1). Fast-forwarding into 2017,

YouTube.com is the fifth most-visited website in the world, behind only giants Yahoo.com,

msn.com, Google.com and Baidu.com (Christensen 37). Today Youtubers create and upload

thousands of videos every week for anyone in the world to enjoy. Youtube has opened a door to

let anyone of any age become a part of this phenomenon. Christensen makes a good point on a

fact that not everyone understands about Youtube: The impact the site [Youtube.com] has had

on re-adjusting our understanding of how media production, distribution and exhibition can

work (Christensen 38). In order to become successful or even upload a video of good quality,

Youtubers must understand and be able to use editing software, do voiceovers, insert music,

lighting, and much more. On top of that, as Youtubers begin to reach the 1 million subscribers

marker. Companies now reach out to these successful people and offer them contracts or

opportunities to showcase their product on their channel. Youtube has become a platform where

makeup, clothing, gaming, and other companies can promote their products through Youtubers

rather than through television or movie stars. And these opportunities give Youtubers a chance to

earn an income while doing something they love as opposed to an office jobs. Along with turning

their passion into a successful video platform, Youtube opens door for some for their successful

Youtube Partners to work with business and gain valuable business skills.

The best part of Youtube is that anyone can have their own success story on there. From 1 to 1

million subscribers, anyone of any age can become an Youtube sensation. For example,

Zoe Sugg, 24, better known by her blog name Zoella, started making videos in her

bedroom in 2009 like any other creative 20 something year old. Fast forward five

years and her new book Girl Online, which debuted November 25, sold more
 copies in its first week in the United Kingdom than any previous debut novel on

record and is now at #9 on the list. (Dhawan).

While all these ideas are great and are working in the website phenomenons favor today, there

are some concerns with becoming a Youtube Partner. While Youtube keeps the technology

industry running as it changes, audiences and Youtubers change with the treads and can

create income for young uploaders, therefore creating jobs. But with technology changing all the

time, is this career steady and sustainable? Is this career just a phase that will eventually sizzle

out, like other media platforms like Myspace.com?

While Youtube is at a height, the future is often debated as unsteady and a gamble. One

of the biggest issues for Youtubes future is sustainable growth (Burgess). With technology

changing constantly, are current Youtubers prepared for a dramatic drop in Youtube industry?

This question is tossed around all over the internet and even some young Youtubers like Aspyn

Ovard, who dropped out of school to become a full time Youtuber, addresses those questions all

the time on her channel and in videos. According to Kaplan, Lots of Youtubers, while drop

out of school and quit work, they gain valuable life skills like banking and saving. So Youtubers

are protected in the future if there is a drop in Youtube (Kaplan).

Even if Youtube has a decline the future, Is it a safe and stable career for Youtubers now

in 2017? According to Burgess; Yes, there would be no greater time to build a Youtube

empire (Burgess). With the uncertainty of Youtube, there is no time like the present to get

involved in the Youtube community. And now in 2017, current Youtubers are basking the glory

on become internet sensations. Current Youtube stars are making appearances on red carpets,

makeup commercials, branding opportunity trips, and having no problem making money. Bing

Chen, head of YouTube's Partner Program, said: "We have thousands of people, now, making six-
figure incomes. It's enough for them to create a sustainable business" (Telegraph Online).

Youtube has created a platform for people to create, but with all the positive, there is always the

argument that it wont be as successful in the future.

Overall Youtube has become a successful media empire. It allows people to create and

share with the world. It allows companies to promote products in new ways through different

audiences. Finally, it allows viewers to watch different types of videos like tutorials, vlogs, and

adventures of friends and others from around the globe. Even with the threat of advancing

technology sinking Youtube, like it did with Myspace, there is no time like the present to join in

and begin to create like thousands of Youtubers already have. This media empire is on a current

path the continue to grow and flourish, but only time will tell what the future holds for Youtube.
 Annotated Bibliography

Brass, Kevin. "How to Become an Online Celebrity--and Get Paid for it; the Secrets Social-

Media Stars use to Pull in Big Incomes on Twitter, YouTube and Blogs." Wall Street

Journal (Online), 26 Jan 2015.

The source above tells the logistics of how Youtubers can become internet sensations

while getting paid for it. The main idea in this source is to prove and explain how Youtubers, or

other social media celebrities, gained the audience in order to make a strong living.

This source relates to my topic because in todays world of technology thousands of people, of

all ages, are making really strong living by being some social media sensations on Youtube,

Instagram, Blogs, etc. This way of income has led to some of these people dropping out of

school or jobs and becoming a Full Time Youtubers or Blogger.

The source comes from the Wall Street Journal Online and was proof read and edited by

professional journalist. Also this source was published in 2015 which is the height time that this

business industry seemed to take flight.

Burgess, Jean. YouTube: Online Video and Participatory Culture. John Wiley and Sons Ltd,

2012.

This source is about the complete breakdown of Youtube and how it has grown to be one

of the strongest social media platforms in todays world. It breaks down the culture, network,

cultural politics, and even Youtubes uncertain future.

This source relates to my topic because it gives every angle of the rise of Youtube and how it has

made its splash in networking culture. Also this source gives an interesting perspective on

Youtubes future and how it might be unstable for creators to rely on this platform for income.

The source is actually a book written by a Professor for Creative Industries at the Queensland

University of Technology. Jean Burgess researched the evolution of Youtube how it is important

today but has a very uncertain path for the future.

Christensen, C. (2007). New literacies: YouTube: The evolution of media? Screen

Education, (45), 36-40.

This source focuses on mainly some issues that relate to the rise of Youtube. The author

considers if this new phenomenon has just shifted the balance of power in the media world or

enhanced the current balance (at the time of 2007, when Youtube was in its beginning stages).

This source relates to my topic because it introduces the negative perspective of Youtube, rather

than all the positive perspective sources. It also gives an interesting type of warning to Youtube

visitors of over-celebrating this new form of communication and media.

The source above was written by Professor in Media and Communication Studies at Karlstad

University in Sweden. Christian Christensen and was published around the time when Youtube

was a new media outlet and released to the public.

Council, Young Entrepreneur. 10 Top YouTube Channels for Entrepreneurs. The Huffington

Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 5 Feb. 2013.

This source is a different perspective. While it is still positive, it gives a more celebrating

vibe as it praises some of the top Youtube creators/entrepreneurs. The source has 10 members of

the Young Entrepreneur Council giving their advice to these Youtube creators and possible future

Youtube entrepreneurs on how to create a successful platform on Youtube without becoming a

one hit wonder. This source relates to my topic because if mentions some current Youtube

success stories but also gives advice to the general public about starting this way of life, income,

and how it can be a bumpy road. The source was published in The Huffington Post and the article

was proof read by multiple people. The published date was also in 2013 which is the very low

base right before Youtubes skyrocket success in media.

Dhawan, Erica. How You Can Use YouTube to Turn Your Passion into a Career. Forbes,

Forbes Magazine, 23 Mar. 2016.

This source gives examples of two current Youtube celebrities and tells how they turned

their passion of making videos into a huge empire. These creators now make videos for

thousands of dollars per month, had books released, clothing lines, and even participated on

Dancing with the Stars. This articles main focus is telling how an average person can turn their

hobby into a career through Youtube. This source relates to my topic because it tells how anyone

could be making thousands of dollars a month just by doing something as simple as uploading a

video. But it also tells of the struggles of keeping up with Youtube and popularity patterns. So
this source gives both a positive, but also a negative look into being a Youtuber. The source

above was published in Forbes Magazine and the article was proof read by multiple people. The

published date was also in 2016 which is the very current height right now before Youtubes

skyrocket success in media.

Kaplan, Andreas M. Users of the World, Unite! The Challenges and Opportunities of Social

Media. ScienceDirect.com, Business Horizons, Oct. 2009,

dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003.

This source mainly focuses on how companies and individuals rely on social networking

platforms for a new source of making profit. It also gives a couple of definitions to what social

media actually means to different people/companies and what that means for the future of social

media platforms, such as Youtube. This source is related to my topic because it gives a look into

how important social media platforms truly are to our society. It leaves the reader a bit worried

that it has become too important. This article was published originally in a forum for the Kelley

School of Business, Indiana University. The article gave also gave a list of all the students and

professors that proof read the article before being published in October 2009.

Kitchen, Patricia. "LI Teens Rake in Income from YouTube Ad Partnerships." McClatchy -

Tribune Business News, Mar 27 2009.

This source above tells about how two younger guys, who are 18 years old, created a

successful Youtube channel and make around $3,000 a month. The source also tells how exactly
Youtubers can monetize their videos to make money. This source relates to my topic because it

gives insight into how exactly someone of pretty much any age can make money, and maybe

even a living on creating videos. This source also explains how Youtube pairs their ads with each

video that is monetized by the videos creator. This source was published in McClatchy - Tribune

Business Newspaper which has been publishing mainly on economic pieces in Washington. The

piece was published in 2009 which is the beginning of the slow rise of Youtube.

McRoberts, Sarah. Do It for the Viewers! Audience Engagement Behaviors of Young

YouTubers. The 15th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children Pages

334-343, 21 June 2016.

This source is actually a study of the practice of youth video creators on Youtube. Sarah

McRoberts analyzes the audience engagement of over 100 youth author Youtube channels and

compares them to adult and professional Youtubers.

This source relates to my topic because it gives a different approach to my topic as an actual

study of science. While still giving information of how Youtube raised as a platform by engaging

a youthful audience on both the viewer side and creator side.

This source was published in a book that was sold at a massive convention about the rise of

media. The author was a graduate student from University of Minnesota. Sarah once again, the

book was published in 2016, which is currently the height of Youtubes popularity.

Ridout, Travis N. and Franklin Fowler, Erika and Branstetter, John, Political Advertising in the

21st Century: The Rise of the YouTube Ad (23 August 2010).

 This source researched the advertising form of social media platforms. The researchers

give examples of how Youtube opened new door to make income for companies, campaigns, but

also giving a part of that income to the creator of the video the ad is playing before. It gives other

facts about the rise of Youtube and how Youtube Ads have helped the platform take off and

become successful. This source relates to my topic because it gives facts of how the Youtube Ad

is benefiting pretty much everyone that comes across the ad and how Youtube has used this new

advertising format to open new forms of communication. The source was written by two

professors from Washington State University and Wesleyan University, both whos areas are

economics and Media. This source was published in 2010 but last revised in 2014, so it is up to

date and relevant.

"Top YouTube Users 'Making Six Figure Income'; Telegraph Online 31 Aug. 2012.

The source above tells mainly of the how Youtubers large income can lead to many

different branches of income (not just videos) for them. It also tells some logistics of how a

Youtuber can work to earn money from Youtube and Google. This source relates to my topic

because this source also points out that these Youtubers learn business skills by reaching out and

working or being partners with companies all over the world and how some of these people can

launch stores, clothing lines and merchandise in general. But the main connection is how this

platform has become much more than just a hobby for a lot of these people, it is now their source

in strong (and in some cases, very strong) income. This source comes from an online news and

journal database called the Telegraph Online which is based in London, United Kingdom. They
have been in business since 2006 and this article was published in 2012 so the site was able to

find a firm standing in credibility by many different sources.

Quade, Gemma. "Culture - the Rise and Rise of YouTube." Northern Echo, Mar 31 2007, pp. 20.

"Viral Video and the Rise of YouTube." Talk of the Nation, 6 June 2006.

This source is a radio show debating whether or not Youtube is a temporary successful

platform or if it is a long-run success. the speakers also bring up how the CEO plan on using the

platforms to create a stronger economy by creating income for these popular Youtube sensations.

This source relates to my topic because its a debate of how and why Youtube has become a

booming phenomenon. This source is actually broadcast of a radio show Talk of the Nation. This

broadcast was over seen by National Public Radio Inc. and Neal Conan (The shows host). With

some research of this radio show, I learned that this show is merely based on very little opinions

and primarily based on research and facts.