About a month ago, YouTube channel The Fine Bros uploaded a video called "YouTubers React to Jimmy Fallon" if you need context, here it is: YouTubers are people who make YouTube videos for a living, it's debatable what a YouTuber actually is, but for the sake of this post, that's the definition I'm going with because those are the people featured in the video. The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon is an American talk show, who over the past year or so has started uploading clips to YouTube and becoming viral hits. In the video, the YouTubers discussed the idea of television moving over to YouTube and opening up that market, and a lot of the YouTubers seemed...self-entitled. Their basic point was that they didn't want television to absorb YouTube and the powers that be start seeing content like this as the dominate form. Now fair enough, it's their jobs and what makes YouTube so unique is how it differs from television and feels like a much more independent form and they can't compete with Television in terms of budget or mass appeal. But at the same time, these YouTubers don't own YouTube.What makes YouTube so great is that anyone and everyone can use it, I use it, I'm still on a very small scale, but I can still express my voice and opinions, the same with thousands of people, hundreds of which have turned this into their full time job. And inviting everyone to use it also includes television, they see plenty of benefits from this format and use it as a marketing tool, they post videos on there, they go viral, thus, more people will watch Jimmy Fallon, or at least be aware of him. Movie studios have been doing this for years now, releasing their trailers on YouTube are a marketing form, I don't see YouTubers complaining about that. They also referred to his videos as clickbait, which they're not, clickbait is tricking people with a nice hook in your title and providing something less engaging, the videos are called celebrities lip syncing and that is exactly what happens. If they meant they are there simply to go viral, then i would agree with that, and that's fine, also hypocritical of these YouTubers to say. YouTube is their job, they make videos hoping to get as many views as possible, the same as viral-bait videos, you have the same goal, get views, get money.
Another issue they have with this is that because they can't compete with this type of production quality, they worry Fallon will set an expectation for viewers that traditional YouTubers can't compete with. No. Keep in mind the current standard of quality for people outside of the YouTube community is still silly cat videos and fail compilations, not to mention people are still aware that this is a clip from a TV show, no expectations are going to be set from these videos, also this complaint implies that people watching have never seen a YouTube video before and that's just highly unlikely. But let's say that some people watch this and this is the quality of video they look for...that's fine! Everyone has their own opinion and their own preferences, there are plenty of popular YouTubers that i don't subscribe to because their content doesn't appeal to me, if people only want to watch videos of this variety then that's what they're going to do.
Another issue they've had is that this will take away focus from traditional YouTubers, now this i think they're half right, not from audiences, but from YouTube itself. Audiences can watch YouTube videos whenever they want, and they can watch as many as they want from a huge variety of channels, it's not like someone is going to watch a Jimmy Fallon video and be like "Well damn, there goes my quota for the day" it doesn't work like that. But for YouTube, they have a good point, if these videos become the dominant content then other styles and channels are going to get less attention and will slowly die out, not to mention the possibility of YouTube adapting for Television rather than the other way around could endanger the benefits and unique position that YouTube is currently in.
A final point they made, directing Jimmy/Anyone of this content style is to share the views and suggest that if they're using their home to promote themselves, they should repay the favour by helping promote YouTube and YouTube content creators. So in return I am going to address YouTubers directly: They-don't-owe-you-anything. Like I said, YouTube is a free format where anyone can make content, including Television shows to promote themselves, and they do it well, just because you were here first and are using YouTube in the traditional manner, doesn't mean people like Jimmy Fallon have to promote you, they don't owe you any favours, you're not the reason Fallon's content is successful on YouTube, you have nothing to do with it, don't act so self-entitled. YouTube is a constantly growing medium, where it was 10 years ago is not where it is today and the same can be said for your content, where you started and where you are now has most likely upgraded in quality and will always be improving, just because Fallon has high quality with minimal time and low risk, does not make you better and does not make you superior.
-Danny
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