Why YouTube is the Next Cable TV
This streaming platform is giving cable television a run for its money.
Since the website’s creation in 2005, YouTube has become one of the most popular videos watching sites on the internet. In fact, according to MerchDope, nearly five billion videos are watched on the site every day. While cable tv saw tv ratings and viewership for awards shows, like the Emmys and Oscars, plummet, YouTube videos about these shows amassed millions of views. YouTube’s appeal to multiple audience types allows for the site to become a sort of hub for any type of entertainment that one could want- for free (with ads and no premium abilities, of course).
Because of its easy accessibility to a larger audience, YouTube holds the capabilities to produce similar content to cable television shows. YouTube ventured in a premium version of the app for a comparatively lower price than cable. For instance, YouTube Premium only costs $11.99 a month compared to cable TV competitors, like Dish, whose packages start at $59.99 per month. The only catch is that the shows made for YouTube Premium could use some fine-tuning. It is catered towards the platform’s largest creators’ audiences. Because the creators are not all trained actors, the shows can come off cheesy and not entertaining; however, with more work and better actors, YouTube Premium could become a hub for new shows. The only thing that YouTube Premium would be missing is streaming content from actual network shows that aren’t created specifically for YouTube, but this is tricky as they are connected with Google Play for their buying/renting shows and movies on YouTube. Perhaps these two entertainment giants could combine forces to rival more than just cable- the entire streaming industry.
YouTube also serves as a place for networks and television shows, like news channels, to post their videos to gain more exposure. Often YouTube can offer these shows a way to get the news out, especially if the video goes viral. It is not an impossibility that these networks move entirely online to work for YouTube.
Overall YouTube serves as a way for creators to increasingly gain exposure as viewers get to find content that perfectly matches their niche. The website gives people the freedom to watch whatever they want, whenever they want- for cheaper than cable and even some streaming sites. Watch out mainstream media networks!
