Abstract

YouTube is a company representative of its original context, Web 2.0, that originally positioned itself as an open and collaborative platform to broadcast videos created by all kinds of users; their slogan was, and remains, Broadcast yourself. The acquisition of YouTube by Google introduced it in the search for profit in the framework of OTT (over the top) communication. The YouTube homepage reveals the successive business policies followed by the platform. In this work we analyze the evolution of the unlogged homepage of YouTube Spain between 2009 and 2018. We observe the gradual disappearance of the videos produced by private users and its replacement by those made by professional users (youtubers) and cultural industries. There is a remarkable parallelism between the implementation of business models and the greater or lesser recommendation of video from one kind of user or another.

Abstract

The instability in the newspaper business model since the emergence of the Internet disrupted the value chain and has led newspapers to turn to videos as an additional source of revenue. YouTube has become the content distribution channel of choice for most newspapers, which benefit from the ability to generate greater traffic in exchange for a blind contract imposed by YouTube’s algorithm. Advertising income from this source is still scarce and depends on engagement, previous user experience, video quality, video reputation and numerous other factors. Based on an analysis of 864 videos over three randomly selected weeks, conclusions are reached, and the consequences of the management of the YouTube channels of six Spanish newspapers are discussed.

Abstract

The instability in the newspaper business model since the emergence of the Internet disrupted the value chain and has led newspapers to turn to videos as an additional source of revenue. YouTube has become the content distribution channel of choice for most newspapers, which benefit from the ability to generate greater traffic in exchange for a blind contract imposed by YouTube’s algorithm. Advertising income from this source is still scarce and depends on engagement, previous user experience, video quality, video reputation and numerous other factors. Based on an analysis of 864 videos over three randomly selected weeks, conclusions are reached, and the consequences of the management of the YouTube channels of six Spanish newspapers are discussed.