The internet has allowed people to share their creativity on a scale never before seen. Websites such as http://www.youtube.com/ and http://www.dailymotion.com/ have allowed people to upload anything that they want. Even if one website has restrictions on what can be uploaded, it would be possible to find somewhere else to put their video, meaning that anyone really can put anything they want onto the internet. Broadband internet is what has really spurred on this phenomenon, as it has allowed videos to load faster than they play, which was never available on dialup. The phenomenon of youtube is really amazing, as it is ousting other new technologies as they come up, with a fast internet connection there isn't even any need for Sky+ services. If the user of the services has no major problem with piracy, they can go to a videolinker site such as http://www.alluc.org/ which has links to videos of popular tv series, and hundreds of films, many not even out on dvd.
Youtube is used by such a large audience, from gereatric1927 blogging about his life (http://youtube.com/watch?v=p_YMigZmUuk over 2,750,000 views) to Tay Zonday singing about chocolate rain, moving away from the microphone to breathe (http://youtube.com/watch?v=EwTZ2xpQwpA over 20,000,000 views), it can create minor celebrities. It can also be used by large commercial companies, for instance record labels put on music videos. Out of the top 10 viewed videos of all time, 7 are music videos. It is relevant to everyone with an internet connection.
PROLIFERATION
The sheer number of videos on youtube in immense. This provides the ability for anyone to find something they are interested in.
Wikipedia: "Few statistics are publicly available regarding the number of videos on YouTube. However, in July 2006, the company revealed that more than 100 million videos were being watched every day, and 2.5 billion videos were watched in June 2006. 50,000 videos were being added per day in May 2006, and this increased to 65,000 by July. In January 2008 alone, nearly 79 million users watched over 3 billion videos on YouTube."
IMMEDIACY
1) Go to web browser
2) type in http://www.youtube.com/ into address bar
3) look at the front page, there are video thumbnails and descriptions.
4) if something takes your eye, watch it. if not, search for something. anything.
5) click on it
6) watch it.
it is that easy, and it is this ease of use that allows youtube its immediacy.
TIMESHIFT
http://www.alluc.org/ provides everything a tv provides, at any time.
DEMOCRATISATION
Everyone can put a video up on youtube, and it is made especially easier due to low cost of equpiment and ease of use of equipment, and the youtube website.
REACH
Anyone can watch anything that anyone has put up, unless the uploader has set the video as private. One example of this is a video i made of me playing a videogame with cosmo. it has had over 800 views in just over a month. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTJ2bYlM_4w
NARROWCASTING
Due to the fact that anyone can watch any video, it is easier to find an audience with a very niche video. A good example of this is, again, the super smash bros. video of me and cosmo playing. For anyone who is interested (obsessed) with the game, it's an interesting watch. for anyone else it's dull.
As obvious from the number of key concepts, youtube is a vital piece of new tech, and will continue to be used for time to come.
