Can YouTube Replace 'Traditional' TV? (hollywoodreporter.com) 106
Can YouTube capture the hours people spending watching "traditional" TV? YouTube's CEO recently said its viewership on TV sets has "surpassed mobile and is now the primary device for YouTube viewing in the U.S.," writes The Hollywood Reporter. And YouTube is shelling out big money to stay on top:
It's come a long way since the 19-second "me at the zoo" video was uploaded in April 2005. Now, per a KPMG report released Sept. 23, YouTube is second only to Comcast in terms of annual content spend, inclusive of payments to creators and media companies, paying out as much as Netflix and Paramount combined, $32 billion... The only question is what genres it will take over next, and how quickly it will do so. From talk shows to scripted dramas to, yes, live sports, there are signs that the platform's ambitions will collide with the traditional TV business sooner rather than later...
YouTube has slowly, then all at once, become the de facto home for what had been late night, not only for the shows on linear TV, but for an emerging crop of new talent born on the platform. As it happens, late night itself transformed YouTube when the Saturday Night Live skit "Lazy Sunday" went viral 20 years ago on the platform, which had only been live for a few months... As consumer preferences collide with a burgeoning ecosystem of video podcasts (YouTube now claims more than 1 billion podcast users monthly), the world of late night, and for that matter TV talk shows more generally, increasingly revolves around the platform. One current late night producer says that almost every A-list booking now includes some sort of sketch or bit that they think will play well on YouTube, but booking those guests in the first place has become less of a sure thing. A veteran Hollywood publicist says that for many of their clients, they are now recommending that YouTube podcasts or shows become the first stop, or at least a major stop, on press tours...
Nielsen has been tracking the streaming platforms that consumers watch on their TV screens ever since it launched what it calls The Gauge in 2021. But over the past year, YouTube's domination of The Gauge has unnerved executives at some competitors. The most recent Gauge report showed that YouTube was by far the most watched video platform, holding 13.1 percent share. Netflix, in second place, was at 8.7 percent.
The article suggests YouTube's last challenge may be "scripted" entertainment — where their business model is different than Netflix or HBO.
"On YouTube, it is up to the creator to finance and produce their content, and while the platform regularly releases new tools to help them (including AI-enabled tech that suggests video ideas and can create short background videos for use in Shorts), scripted entertainment is a particularly tricky challenge, requiring writers, directors, sets, costumes, lighting, editing, special effects and other production requirements that may go beyond the typical creator-led show."
YouTube has slowly, then all at once, become the de facto home for what had been late night, not only for the shows on linear TV, but for an emerging crop of new talent born on the platform. As it happens, late night itself transformed YouTube when the Saturday Night Live skit "Lazy Sunday" went viral 20 years ago on the platform, which had only been live for a few months... As consumer preferences collide with a burgeoning ecosystem of video podcasts (YouTube now claims more than 1 billion podcast users monthly), the world of late night, and for that matter TV talk shows more generally, increasingly revolves around the platform. One current late night producer says that almost every A-list booking now includes some sort of sketch or bit that they think will play well on YouTube, but booking those guests in the first place has become less of a sure thing. A veteran Hollywood publicist says that for many of their clients, they are now recommending that YouTube podcasts or shows become the first stop, or at least a major stop, on press tours...
Nielsen has been tracking the streaming platforms that consumers watch on their TV screens ever since it launched what it calls The Gauge in 2021. But over the past year, YouTube's domination of The Gauge has unnerved executives at some competitors. The most recent Gauge report showed that YouTube was by far the most watched video platform, holding 13.1 percent share. Netflix, in second place, was at 8.7 percent.
The article suggests YouTube's last challenge may be "scripted" entertainment — where their business model is different than Netflix or HBO.
"On YouTube, it is up to the creator to finance and produce their content, and while the platform regularly releases new tools to help them (including AI-enabled tech that suggests video ideas and can create short background videos for use in Shorts), scripted entertainment is a particularly tricky challenge, requiring writers, directors, sets, costumes, lighting, editing, special effects and other production requirements that may go beyond the typical creator-led show."
Already has (Score:3)
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Ads or a subscription will be forced on you (Score:2)
My fear is that there's too much money to be made by Alphabet to continue to ignore users who run ad-blockers.
When I happens, I figure most people people will suck it up and a few will have nothing to do with it.
Will a proprietary youtube viewer of some kind be required to be downloaded which is drm'ed to death and tracks your every move? (After all you are the product) Ad-blockers would be useless against it since it isn't running in a web browser. You'd need network-level blocking, and the proprietary app
Another CEO self-promoting their own product (Score:2)
Let's "tell the people that their TV can show Youtube videos" to increase our market share.
Film, cable and TV companies are trying to slow the decline...
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Firefox noscript and ublock origin, once or twice a year they get past it till i get it blocked. I have not seen an add on you tube in 10 years.
Re: Already has (Score:2)
How do you block ads on YouTube?
I thought Google had stuff in place to detect that and prevent you from even watching...
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I do. I'm watching it right now. Broncos vs Cowboys.
Sometimes, I watch Little House On The Prairie or other things. There is a lot of good stuff on there.
Note: "traditional tv" means over the air with an antenna....which may or may not be how it is defined in the article.
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Amazon Prime video screwed up licensing and is missing the last 20 years or so of Gunsmoke. They even went to color TV at some point in the series. I bet those are on youtube.
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Wtf? People still watch "traditional TV"?
The function of traditional TV is to bring advertisers into your home. I think we can declare the spirit of traditional TV alive is very much alive.
Re:Already has (Score:5, Insightful)
Boomers are just starting to understand two remotes (the TV and cable box). They're not going to understand using a computer for "TV".
Flag as Inappropriate
Who do you think designed those cable boxes you PFY?
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Boomer here. Not necessarily true. I use a Linux thin client to watch Youtube. I use a wireless mini keyboard to control the thin client. The TV remote is only used to power on and off the TV.
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I think we need to shoot more for "average". My mom regularly tosses her phone at me telling me to fix it.
I have to explain the remote regularly.
Sure, there are technies that actually built those boxes, but just as many people who just want to watch video.
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The networks shut down the translators when they went to digital TV and never put them back up. Between then and the advent of streaming I got out of the habit of watching TV.
I see no reason to reacquire the habit.
When was the last time college level geology classes were on TV? They are on YouTube though. Along with math puzzles, car repair, retro PC repair, Linux news, etc, etc.
Re:Already has (Score:5, Interesting)
I suspect it has in most households -- even boomer ones.
The problem is that nobody wants YouTube to be just like broadcast and cableTV was. The thing that made YouTube so compelling and so popular was its authenticity and variety -- but the management at YouTube are carefully killing the very thing that made it great.
Ever-growing levels of ever-more intrusive advertising. Ads that are (at times) 90 percent scams. Ads and content that are low-value AI-slop which, once the novelty value wears off, will drive people off the platform rather than onto it. Endless spambot comments on videos. -- all these things are slowly souring the formula that made YT what it is today.
Creators are complaining, viewers are complaining and pretty soon, advertisers will be complaining because viewer numbers will decline.
Many creators (such as myself) are now switching to self-hosting via a federated network of servers that we host ourselves (PeerTube or similar). Doing this frees us from the tyranny that is YouTube's arbitrary and unchallengable AI content moderation and it's unwillingness to deal with bogus copyright claims and strikes.
We have reached "peak Youtube" and just like so many companies that have become a huge part of our ever-day lives, it will now begin an ever-steepening decline.
If YouTube doesn't deliver what viewers and creators want they will find an alternative and the self-hosted federation of servers overcomes the single largest hurdle to creating a YouTube competitor -- the problem of matching the company's vast storage, processing and bandwidth capacity.
Watch this space... things are about to get exciting again!
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If enshittification of Internet platforms l is analogous to the heat death of the universe, what happens after that to cause a new big bang?
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The videos you watch don't have intrusive sponsorship segments then?
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That's not quite the same, but I'll tell you how to skip those anyway.
1: Videos are often divided into sections. Skip to the end of the current section if you see a sales pitch
2: Hover over the timeline. You'll see a "most replayed" bump where the video restarts.
3: Protect yourself from hackers with Nord VPN, link in the description.
4: Sponsorships tend to be 30/60/90 seconds long, just scrub ahead until its over.
5: Be sure to smash that like button and ring the bell for more great tips
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If I pay on one site, every single other site still has ads. So this locks me into the viewpoints preferred by the curator of one site and to the production values that one site's business model enables.
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I use STN (Smart Tube Next) app on my android TV stick to watch youtube on my TV. No ads anymore. I cut my cable connection 5 years ago. Haven't looked back.
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Sure! (Score:3, Funny)
It will be like replacing your daily morning cup of horse piss with cat piss.
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It will be like replacing your daily morning cup of horse piss with cat piss.
You should really try dog piss, it's got a bad rep but it's a great way to start the day!
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I hear that your morning piss can determine your mood throughout the day so I usually go with horsepiss, but I can see dog piss being useful in the right circumstances. Once I tried raccoon piss (expensive) and I ended up robbing a 7-11.
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I find YouTube is far better than any of the linear TV available in the UK. More stuff that is relevant to my interests. I don't have an antenna now.
Re:Sure! (Score:4, Interesting)
I find YouTube is far better than any of the linear TV available in the UK. More stuff that is relevant to my interests. I don't have an antenna now.
I find for fiction, and hard hitting investigative journalism and related things the more traditionally produced TV is superior. It's not like an antenna is really needed now even for traditional TV. My father in law (silent generation, not boomer) watches traditional TV, mostly the BBC, entirely over FTTP. I've not hand an antenna or TV since 2005, but it's not like I don't watch TV. I use a laptop and the internet (and formerly optical discs, a technology who's passing I have mixed feelings about).
For a lot of non fiction, especially technical and technical documentaries, we're in something of a golden age. You watch Technology Connections' 3 hour documentary on vinyl video discs, right? I can't imagine anything of that niche and depth ever having been made on traditional TV.
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Since Newsnight was gutted I find I don't really use the TV for that kind of thing.
Technology Connections is the reason why I own a CED player.
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Technology Connections is the reason why I own a CED player.
Come on man don't just drop that and leave the thread!
Details! I need details!!
Re:Sure! (Score:4, Interesting)
I have a thing about commercial failures. Computers, games consoles, video formats... I wasn't intending to get any CED stuff, but I saw a couple of basically mint units being sold a "junk" in Japan.
The word "junk" in Japanese (as in jyanku, a loan word) means "untested, sold as seen, no warranty", but I find that in practice a lot of it is actually in perfect working order. Hard Off branches usually have a little test area with power, batteries, tapes and so forth where you can check out junk for yourself before buying. I plugged on in and it powered up okay, so decided to take a punt.
One day I hope that ld/vhs-decode will add support for the format. It's actually not all that interesting beyond the technical details and how cool the cartridge system is, because from what I've seen all the discs ever released were just Western movies (as in Hollywood or European, not cowboys).
I am actually much more active with Laserdisc and VHS, where I archive them by capturing the raw RF signal using a Domesday Duplicator. If you aren't familiar, someone wanted to preserve the old BBC Domesday system from back in the 80s, which used a proprietary Laserdisc format. To that end they built a special capture device that samples at 40MHz, to ingest the analogue RF signal direct off the laser pickup amplifier. Laserdiscs use PWM to generate an RF signal that is similar to analogue broadcast TV, but free from interference and with higher bandwidth.
VHS is similar, it's an RF signal, or even two RF signals if the tape has HiFi audio. The main difference being much lower bandwidth, resulting in a poorer image. That said, a couple of the tapes I've done, in particular a Japanese pro wrestling one, look amazing. Beyond anything I thought VHS could ever do. Some of the Laserdisc stuff looks practically HD in places.
Anyway, I've been preserving various discs and tapes with the Internet Archive, all Japanese stuff. Some of it is fascinating. There are some ones about various NASA missions from the Apollo and Shuttle eras, with dual original English and a dub into Japanese. They dubbed the radio comms, and the voice actors seem to have taken it pretty seriously. I've got some promo discs too, showing off the quality of Laserdisc, and often they are unintentionally hilarious. It was the 80s and 90s, so much of it is speed boats, flimsy excuses to put models in swimwear, creepy guys taking photos of them... Cultural artefacts that are preserved, hopefully forever now.
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I'm dead impressed! Have you watched a film on it?
My guess would be archival might be similar: a modern software decoder would probably do a somewhat better job of extracting the various components from the signal than the original electronics.
Any idea what the frequency of the pickup circuit is? You seem like the kind of person who could jab a scope probe or two in there.
Some of the Laserdisc stuff looks practically HD in places.
I've noticed that old DVDs are also surprisingly good. I don't have anything n
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I tend not to watch films on the machines, I just run them to test and repair them, and then each disc once to make an archival copy of it. Reason being that they are old and the parts are not easy to source. My current Laserdisc player is made up of parts from two machines, and has a new belt for the tray mechanism.
NTSC video is about 6MHz full bandwidth. Laserdisc is full bandwidth, VHS is about 3MHz, and CED is about 4.2Mhz. The video quality is further reduced by the modulation scheme that uses a 915MHz
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915MHz carrier
Surely that's not encoded into the disc itself? That seems awfully high.
I haven't found a suitable tap point in the player either, and it may need amplification.
What's the style of board? Also what output format does your one have? Is it RF out for sending into a TV (American style), or does it de-composite the baseband TV signal and output some of the components separately?
DVDs can look very good. You probably saw the Technology Connections video about the budget re-issue ones being worse.
It'
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My understanding is that the machine has an internal 915MHz oscillator, with the stylus in the circuit. The stylus capacitatively measures the depth of the groove. The groove has very fine ridges with a wavelength less than the length of the stylus tip, so to coasts over them rather than moving up and down with each one like an LP.
Anyway, those ridges modulate the 915MHz frequency a little, which is then passed through a peak detector and you end up with a PWM signal like you get from the laser of an LD pla
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My understanding is that the machine has an internal 915MHz oscillator, with the stylus in the circuit.
I'm guessing then that the C part of the CED is the C in an LC resonant circuit... I'm assuming you don't want to archive that signal!
which is then passed through a peak detector and you end up with a PWM signal like you get from the laser of an LD player.[...]so to coasts over them rather than moving up and down with each one like an LP.
TIL. I suppose having a pulse modulation scheme of some sort means th
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I'm guessing then that the C part of the CED is the C in an LC resonant circuit... I'm assuming you don't want to archive that signal!
That's right, and I would if I could! Would probably need a 4GHz ADC or better for that, but I think the bigger problem would be transferring that data to the computer and storing it. Even fast NVMe SSDs struggle to sustain 4GB/sec, and 8 bit sampling might not be enough.
TIL. I suppose having a pulse modulation scheme of some sort means there are always high peaks present which would keep the stylus at a constant height, i.e.the peak height above the bottom of the groove. I had kind of assumed that the encoding was completely analogue like a record, but that probably wouldn't work as the stylus would dip down in areas of low signal, which would raise the signal effectively.
I think the other issue is that there just wouldn't be enough bandwidth with an AM modulated signal, not for reasonable quality video. A physical stylus just can't move that fast, and if they tried the pressure needed would wear out the dis
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I think the other issue is that there just wouldn't be enough bandwidth with an AM modulated signal, not for reasonable quality video. A physical stylus just can't move that fast, and if they tried the pressure needed would wear out the disc very quickly.
I was originally imagining they varied the capacitance in some analogue encoded way so the capacitance value directly maps to the analogue signal (not via pulses), but now you said how it works, I can't think how one could do it without modulating the analo
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It's a good idea, because it solves both the physical problems involved in reading the signal with a stylus, and makes it FM modulated which greatly reduces the amount of noise that you normally get from an LP.
Japan never got SCART either, but they did have an RGB capable system using the same plugs and sockets but a different pinout, just to add to the general confusion and incompatibility. It's surprising that so many Japanese machines had RGB output when most TVs didn't, or maybe vice versa - surprising
Compared to "all TV stations owned by one": Yes (Score:4, Interesting)
BTW: Youtuber Anton Petrov just noticed that, without his knowledge or consent, Youtube alters his videos (for the much worse in his case) [youtube.com].
Re: Dear lord (Score:2)
Part of me hopes it does. Perhaps then they might face the same regulators that TV channels do. As if the scams and snake oil werenâ(TM)t bad enough lately I've been served with ads for illegal weapons!* I've reported them a dozen times but they just keep on coming.
* Tasers specifically. They may be legal in other countries but not here.
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Part of me hopes it does. Perhaps then they might face the same regulators that TV channels do. As if the scams and snake oil werenâ(TM)t bad enough lately I've been served with ads for illegal weapons!* I've reported them a dozen times but they just keep on coming.
* Tasers specifically. They may be legal in other countries but not here.
If you really want one you can just make one. It's not rocket surgery, it's just a battery and a transformer. Cordless drill batteries are popular for this.
Re: Dear lord (Score:2)
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And if I had a missile factory, I could probably make missiles.
And if I had a tank factory, I could probably make tanks
And if I had a spaceship factory, I could probably be above the law
What a ridiculous argument.
Replace TV? (Score:2)
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Because TVs are loaded with adverts before you choose what you want to watch. Seems the path of least resistance to go straight to YouTube rather than battle through adverts on the menu. Kids would prefer to get a tablet out, and this has been going on for best part of a decade already, so I'd say the traditional TV's day is already spent.
No (Score:4, Insightful)
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Not necessarily, there are a lot of competent creators with thematic channels and high production quality. And the offer is so vast that it's very likely you'll find something that interests you.
ADs on the other hand are a big turn down, but there are ways around them...
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Most of the important sports events in my country are already broadcasted in YouTube, for some time now. That's my main use of YT nowadays.
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Re: No (Score:2)
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I don't watch "traditional TV at all (Score:3, Insightful)
I watch youtube a lot.
I understand that the vast majority of it is pop culture crap and other stuff I'm not interested in.
Fortunately, I can find things I'm interested in... expert craftspeople doing their craft and explaining it.
Some examples...
Luthiers, machinists, mechanics, glassworkers, woodworkers, blacksmiths, hoof trimmers, drain cleaners and more.
I can also see really good educational programs, teaching math, physics, medicine, spacecraft design, aircraft design, etc.
And there is also fun stuff like the slo-mo guys and the hydraulic press dude.
And let's not forget Dr Pimple Popper
Re: I don't watch "traditional TV at all (Score:5, Insightful)
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Yes, the AI behind recommendations is unable to distinguish quality, the fact that you might be interested in a topic doesn't mean you want to watch AI slop for it. But again, Youtube's business model is to serve you as many ADs as possible, it doesn't matter if they come in a turd sandwich.
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'Traditional' TV? (Score:2)
Re:'Traditional' TV? (Score:4, Insightful)
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"...and I can't imagine how we used to put up with them."
That's how stuff got done back then. You go to the bathroom/kitchen/homework/do a quick chore. Then back to the living room when the commercials were over.
DVRs, and now streaming, having the ability to pause, pretty much made those habits obsolete.
Ads (Score:4, Insightful)
No. Far too many f***ing ads on YouTube.
I've have ads interrupt the in-video sponsorship ads too. FFS.
I used too spend hours browsing YouTube. Now I'll watching a few videos and then leave, annoyed.
Re: Ads (Score:2)
Re: Ads (Score:2)
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There's an ad-blocker that works on the YouTube app now?
There's a fix for that: a real computer.
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You could just pay for Youtube Premium. It's generally cheaper than most streaming services and there is plenty of worthwhile content to watch on it.
Youtube Premium costs exactly as much as Netflix in the UK, but it's not a question of money for me. There are a few other reasons why I refuse to pay for Youtube Premium:
- Netflix uses some of my money to make their own content. I may think most of it is dreck and wish that Netflix would go back to a time when it was essentially an online DVD library, or at least give me an option to exclude their original content from search results, but at least they're doing something creative with it.
Youtube creat
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If you must be on mobile, just use Firefox with uBlock Origin.
Note: If you use certain Google apps, don't set Firefox as your default browser. Some of them won't start, or crash immediately, if the default browser isn't a Chrome variant. I'm reasonably confident this is intentional. Google is pure evil.
Re: Ads (Score:2)
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There are ways around them, even on a TV.
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Such as (for TV)...?
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https://github.com/yuliskov/Sm... [github.com] (for Android/Google TV)
Re: Ads (Score:2)
That needs Android TV. I have an LG. :'(
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I cannot test it personally, but I found this: https://github.com/samsapti/LG... [github.com]
It likely doesn't block Youtube Ads though.
Re: Ads (Score:2)
Re: Ads (Score:2)
At issue is that the people I want to watch aren't on those other platforms. I was on Nebula for a while, and while it was great for the few producers who posted there, I still had to go to YouTube for the others. Very few cross-post. And I'm sure they don't cross-post to other platforms either.
Well, one cross-posts to ex-Twitter, so that's useless to me as the X-TV app isn't available on my TV in my country.
YouTube != YouTube TV (Score:5, Interesting)
Main platforms (Score:2)
I don't have linear, traditional TV or even cable tuned to my TV set for several years now. I mainly watch HBO and Netflix (series and movies) or YouTube (some documentaries and live sports). And even (in the rare cases) when something I want is only available on traditional TV, I look for the online broadcast and then stream it from my PC to the TV.
Those are not "Podcasts" (Score:3)
Podcasts are an audio-format medium, delivered by an RSS subscription feed.
What the article is talking about are videos, not "podcasts". The medium is different, and the subscription and delivery mechanisms are different.
Further, the content is different in character, as an audio medium doesn't expect you to state at a screen while you consume it.
This isn't a matter of simple pedantics. The cheese is being moved for an entire industry, to the detriment of its subscribers and creators. As production costs go up, and attention to a screen is required, podcasting may just disappear.
How sad.
Re: Those are not "Podcasts" (Score:2)
Huh?
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Replace? Why? (Score:2)
I dropped it about 15 years ago. Still not missing anything.
Youtube has already replaces television (Score:2)
Ah, so that's where all the DDOS (Score:2)
engines now live.
No. (Score:2)
Youtube is quickly approaching a tipping point where the creators worth watching are being punished for content that isn't what Youtube wants to put ads in front of, but Youtube wont communicate what they actually want lest they become accountable.
I watch YouTube less and less (Score:3)
Has for a while now. (Score:3)
YT certainly isn't perfect, but in terms of entertainment value it's not even close. Cable and OTA is a cesspit of lowest common denominator trash. Whereas I can carve out my own little niche in YT with much higher quality content.
The only blind spot is local stuff. Especially breaking news like a natural disaster. That is the only time I switch to the antenna.
Too many commercials (Score:2)
Regular TV had a set of commercials every 1/2 hour or 15 minutes. Youtube has commercials every video, sometimes 4 minutes of commercials, and sometimes during videos, and the creators can only support themselves by having sponsors so there is another block of time going to a commercial. In order to watch 1 hour of youtube you must watch 2 hours of youtube.
No Way (Score:2)
What do I watch when I need a break from youtube?
I have not watched TV since sept 21 1997 (Score:1)
Called my dd on his birthday and he was so drunk he could not remember who I was. I put a fire extinguisher thru my TV picture tube never watched one since.
day I will never forget, I was mad at first because my step(3rd one actually) mom would not let me talk to him. I wish i had not pushed it.
US Consumers may not have a choice soon (Score:4, Interesting)
Poor Quality (Score:1)
I want to see it on a CRT (Score:2)
Apparently youtube has Miss Chinese International Pageant going back to the 1990's. You know, for all the years I missed between 1996 and now. I learned this recently whilst dining at a Chinese restaurant. Try finding that on traditional TV.
We use it via AppleTV (Score:2)
I also have the Premium subscription, so no ads. The AI generated content sucks, but you can tell that it is AI generated within a few seconds. No real rules, but it just seems "off".