I remember YouTube back in 2005 when internet based communities were only just incorporating into mainstream media sources, YouTube has defiantly played a role in societies transition from mass media outlets to a more online based information gathering process.
When YouTube was just starting out it was initially used primarily for brief comedic occurrences which entertained and delighted millions worldwide.
As YouTube gained more and more recognition on a global level its evolved from having quite limited content up loaders to everyone with a camera uploading content ( Which i might add is mostly rubbish) .
To re-iterate this point lets take a look at the type ( and qaulity) of youtube "originals".
2006 -- content
As we can see the video style is simplistic and original and by most perceptions reasonably entertaining.
While there is nothing ground-breaking when we transition it into todays world, this video was considering one of the funniest and influential YouTube videos of all time (Forbes)
http://www.forbes.com/2007/04/30/youtube-videos-hits-ent-cx_jg_07networks_0430tube.html
Now I could compare this to any number of millions upon millions of unfunny, racist, stupid, pointless videos but I honestly couldn't bring myself to insert any of the numerous dull, mind numbing drivel I planned on using. -- to be short there is a lot of crap in 2012 in comparison to 2006 content.
Because of this suddenly influx of users youtube evolved from a source of entertianment to a produser based world making website
"World making"
the process of designing a fictional universe that will sustain franchise development, one that is sufficiently detailed to enable many different stories to emerge but coherent enough so that each story feels like it fits with the others" .-- Henry Jenkins
While this proccess is incredibly benifical to growth and recognition ( and profitable in youtubes case, sold for 1.65Billion) The ProdUser cultural can become repetitive and bland as popular content is often recycyled over and over again in different forms i.e
As stated by Dr Axel Bruns; Legal Frameworks such as the Creative Commons suite of license allow for this kind of re-use of content to be remixed and distorted into other forms of user content.
He also states that this opens up avenues for creative work and publication beyond mainstream media industry, I disagree that it undermines the notion that artists are individual geniuses, I have the opposite opinion and think that this kind of re-use of work emphases the creative genius the individual and any re-cut however entertaining or funny is still just a re-use of a different individuals idea.
This is the problem with user-generated content there is no filter -- no quality control or inspectors anyone with a phone camera and a voice can record any absurd idea or thought and post it online for the world to see.
This creates an overwhemling array of social media based content which is hard to understand and enjoy.
aside from this the range and variety of possible content is astronomical and most of the time if you have the patience to filter through the garbage, there are many individuals out there with legitimate talent that have and will continue to upload interesting and entertaining ideas and videos which make the process worth it.
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