Gaming World Forums
General Category => General Talk => Topic started by: Dulcinea on January 03, 2009, 07:00:31 pm
-
I've been thinking about this for the past few days, noticing how many web shows originate in L.A. amongst the same group of people. I noticed just today that most of these people are sponsored by corporations (such as Sony etc), and realized that Sony among others has a channel where they pump out several shows. Out of curiousity, I clicked the top viewed channels on youtube, and found that the top ten were all from large corporations or mainstream artists (and 17 out of the top 20). Which begs the question- has web entertainment become more mainstream recently?
Personally, I think it's a bit of a shame, since most independent artists (at least with shows) can't compete with million dollar-budgets, professional crews etc. And independent musicians (while maybe standing a bit of a better chance) are also up against the odds with big label artists now drawing in most of the views. Even though it's like this in the "real world" it seems a shame that web entertainment which was once distinct because of its independent nature is now being owned by big labels and slick hollywood series, who are looking for another way to sell ads.
-
Eh, I don't think it'll do anything to stop independent projects from using the internet as a means to get more exposure. Also it's not really surprising that so many of the top youtube channels would be mainstream as I'm pretty sure that was youtube's goal to begin with.
This brings up a sort of interesting thing I heard about a few months ago from a guy I was designing a website for. He was a rich kid who was given his own company by his dad and actually met a dude that is currently developing a next-gen youtube that works kind of like satellite television or WebTV from back in the day. You get a receiver for your TV that is connected to the internet and gives you a selection of channels from the company's network. The difference though is that there are only like six mainstream channels and ANYONE with some decent equipment and enough material for programming can buy their own channel on the network for like, $40,000 per year.
I know $40,000 a year sounds like a lot initially, but it seems like this would be the most accessible alternative to the internet for indie projects that have a decent budget. I think it's a pretty cool idea and I'd probably sign up if it ever gets fully developed and people start buying into it.
-
Eh, I don't think it'll do anything to stop independent projects from using the internet as a means to get more exposure.
this. internet people wont become worse off because big budget people wont be giving their shit away for free on the internet just because its a good source. and the only way to get something seen on the internet is too make it free.
its really only a good thing.
-
I don't see big name companies taking over the internet anytime, ever. I don't see the connection between big budget and the ability for people to view the material. Unless you're able to pay Youtube to have your material posted up in front of everyone else's, like I believe Google does.
-
I don't see big name companies taking over the internet anytime, ever. I don't see the connection between big budget and the ability for people to view the material. Unless you're able to pay Youtube to have your material posted up in front of everyone else's, like I believe Google does.
You are. It's called "Promoting your Video" the more money you pay youtube, the more your video shows up on peoples YT homepages. And the reason why it would affect peoples abilities to view material is that youtube browsing works by displaying the most active content. Meaning people who have the money to but views, comments etc (which you can do if you hire services) will be able to hit the top and be visible to people browsing. When you upload, your video does not immediately show up when people browse.
-
You are. It's called "Promoting your Video" the more money you pay youtube, the more your video shows up on peoples YT homepages. And the reason why it would affect peoples abilities to view material is that youtube browsing works by displaying the most active content. Meaning people who have the money to but views, comments etc (which you can do if you hire services) will be able to hit the top and be visible to people browsing.
i'd like to point out that, while the videos from smaller channels are often up front because of payments, most people with "partner" status on youtube are just because of legitimate views, even if the person is a shithead. Also, those services for views and comments are the equivalent of paying for gold or powerleveling in WOW or something.
When you upload, your video does not immediately show up when people browse.
i'd also like to point out that this is because it takes a while to convert to flv
-
I have to agree with JMIckle on this one, even if its not much to add.
-
Yeah, there are corporations with the money to produce high quality media that we would have trouble to best but I guess the main point is that the internet allows you to broadcast what you create for very little money whereas in the past to broadcast something you'd need to get it on the radio or TV.
-
Just an update, two of the three main featured videos (the ones that show up on the front page) were produced by TBS. One video is an ad for their new show 10 items or less. As well, their ads are appearing on the front page, on the video's page, and over other videos.
-
I don't really see the huge deal with sponsored videos on youtube's front page, considering the majority of people are going to youtube to watch something in particular and spend a total of four seconds on the front page. Granted, I have watched things that looked interesting on the front page before, but that's such a small percentage of the time that I don't even take the time to LOOK at who's on the front.
-
whenever I hear of anything online like FREE WEBISODES OF MONK or that 24 knockoff I get a feeling like bile rising in my throat or something. I don't think big companies understand that most videos are looked at at a whim like personally somebody posts up a link on here or I get it in an IM, and when I don't hear from anybody else I have something specific in mind like BIZARRE ESTONIAN COMMERCIALS.
I'd still rather watch somebody's Metal Gear Solid parody by a narrow margin, because at least it has that feeling like somebody made it, so there's less of that feeling like "hey want to watch TV for 10 minutes in a much less comfortable computer chair and shitty tiny/blurry screen"
-
Whatever, I don't get shit for hits on Youtube, anyway. It's not corporations, it's the fact that the "indie" scene right now for pretty much everything is just over saturated with absolute crap. It makes finding the "good" content that much harder to find. After so much stupid shit, it's kind of nice to see content made for a purpose, whether it's by Sony or Carlos from Miami.
Other than that, I'm stoked that networks are putting their own shows on their websites. Some are even in streaming HD, which is... Well, it's dope.
-
whenever I hear of anything online like FREE WEBISODES OF MONK or that 24 knockoff I get a feeling like bile rising in my throat or something. I don't think big companies understand that most videos are looked at at a whim like personally somebody posts up a link on here or I get it in an IM, and when I don't hear from anybody else I have something specific in mind like BIZARRE ESTONIAN COMMERCIALS.
I'd still rather watch somebody's Metal Gear Solid parody by a narrow margin, because at least it has that feeling like somebody made it, so there's less of that feeling like "hey want to watch TV for 10 minutes in a much less comfortable computer chair and shitty tiny/blurry screen"
It's so strange. I get the same feeling.
If you have the money and the production value and you want to sell a product then why not throw money at the internet, right? A lot of people use the internet and a lot of them are easy targets. I should know, I work in a computer store. 70% of our customers are just a tad computer dumb. I still get about twenty people asking me what "foxfire" is.
But honestly, big companies are whores and they'll always try to make money off of every fucking outlet possible. It's part of what they do to make cash. Will they take the internet over ever? My money says no, and if they manage to most people will probably flip their lids and you know, there's always the protests. Starting with nonviolent and ending in riots. Of course I don't think riots are very likely especially in the united states. Everyone is too lazy to get all up in arms unless a black guy gets elected to office.(It's what the b.p.glass is for I hear tale)
If you guys remember, they started doing the advertising in video games and Burger King even got a game RELEASED for them that failed horribly. Of course way way way before that McDonalds had tried that on the NES I think. None the less, if the advertising in the video games has gotten to you, you're insane. The same applies to the internet. It's just a constant.
-
M.C. Kids was a fun platformer.
But companies will milk anything for the chance at money. They even pay to have their ads show up on billboards while you're driving around in Burnout. And why not? Companies exist to make money and why leave an avenue like the internet unexploited? You can hardly fault them for trying to buy up space on youtube.
-
I like that people complain about companies not being up with the times but they try to get themselves on youtube and suddenly they're evil corporations stealing our internet.
-
Who complains about companies not being up with the times?
And they're not "Suddenly" evil. It's too black and white, though I've never been a fan of most corporations...not a sudden thing.
-
Who complains about companies not being up with the times?
A lot of people complain about companies not understanding consumers and not being up with the times this is a common thing!
-
i think the appropriate response to the big-business corporate takeover of the internet should be the creation of an underground cyberpunk-raver fusion hacker subculture like in the movie Hackers with Angelina Jolie and have big warehouses with rad rollerblade ramps and awesome videogames on bigscreens so when you want to diss someone, you just take it to the game and smash their high score in front of them
-
i agree with this but only if angelina jolie is there and she's my age and wearing that white zip-up thing and she talks to me about the RAM in her laptop
computing should be done on roofs and in basements and nowhere in between
-
i agree with this but only if angelina jolie is there and she's my age and wearing that white zip-up thing and she talks to me about the RAM in her laptop
computing should be done on roofs and in basements and nowhere in between
i am 100 percent with you.