The Double Function of YouTube

In YouTube: Online Video and Participatory Culture, Jean Burgess and Joshua Green highlight two distinct functions of the popular video hosting site.  On one hand, YouTube serves as a video repository, archiving and redistributing video from existing popular culture.  And on the other, it has become a forum for user created video, allowing anyone with a camera and an internet connection to upload and share whatever they desire--hence YouTube's mantra, "Broadcast Yourself."

Burgess and Green, seem to believe that these two functions work independently from one another, and dilute any singular definition of what YouTube really is.  However, I believe that there are many instances in which YouTube has been used to perform both functions simultaneously.  To explain, let's examine the YouTube phenomenon of Numa Numa.

This video became an internet sensation, and has now had millions upon millions of views.  It was a user uploaded video of said user lip-syncing to a song called, "Dragostea Din Tei" by the Moldovan pop band O-Zone, although most Americans know the song as simply the "Numa Numa Song."

The video became a sensation, not because of the song, but because of the way the song was used in the user's video.  However, in turn, O-Zone also gained popularity because of the viral success of the video.  Many American's are now familiar with their song, that would have otherwise never reached them.  The song has garnered so much popularity that it was even sampled in the popular hip-hop song "Live Your Life" by T.I. and Rihanna.

And so, the sensation surrounding the "Numa Numa Song" exemplifies not only the two distinct functions of YouTube, but also how these two functions can work together.  It is cyclical in a way--first, the song was created by professionals, and then further popularized by user generated content, which was, in turn, capitalized on by professional media creators.

While there is some distinction between the two major functions of YouTube explained by Burgess and Green, the line between the two isn't always clearly defined.  And the "Numa Numa Song" is not the only example of this.  So, let's not forget about the Tron Guy this winter when we are going to see Tron: Legacy in theaters.

The Hypocrisy in The Anticorporate Attitude

"It is an attempt to capture an anticorporate attitude I see emerging among many young activists.  This book is hinged on a simple hypothesis:  that as more people discover the brand-name secrets of the global logo web, their outrage will fuel the next big political movement, a vast wave of opposition squarely targeting transnational corporations, particularly those with very high name brand recognition,"  Naomi Klein states regarding her book No Logo.

Klein writes extensively on culture jamming, which is a process by which people interrupt the "one-way information flow" of corporate advertising and oppose the general messages and/or ideologies of said corporations.  She separates culture jamming into three basic forms--Graffiti, Adbusting, and Media Collectives--all of which target and criticize established and recognizable brands and their advertising.

The problem with culture jamming movement and the anticorporate attitude it creates is that the entire process can easily become hypocritical and self-defeating.  In attempting to deter consumers from one lifestyle, they are in turn promoting and advertising their own agenda and lifestyle.  Of course, not all culture jamming is guilty of this, but there are more than a few parties guilty of making such superficial criticisms that they themselves could also be criticized for.

To exemplify this, let's examine Adbusters Media Foundation and the "Black Spot" sneakers that they are currently selling.  Adbusters is an anti-consumerist organization that is also a major proponent of "Buy Nothing Day."  The sneakers that they are selling resemble the classic Converse Chuck Taylor design, and are called "Black Spot" sneakers because of the black spot that is present where a logo would normally be present.  This black spot is supposed to represent a lack of branding.

However, I think one could easily argue that this black spot, or declared lack of brand, can be interpreted as a brand in itself--and an expensive one at that.  These shoes retail at $65 a pair, whereas Chuck Taylors retail at least $15 to $20 cheaper.  And not only that, but Adbusters ran a $500,000 dollar campaign promoting these shoes on television on CNN, and also in the New York Times.  So, how is this anti-corporate organization selling a product and promoting a brand any differently than the corporate organizations they oppose?

In their defense, Adbusters does pride themselves on their labor practices, and the fact that their shoes are manufactured without the exploitation of workers in third-world countries.  But aside from that, it is of my opinion that this organization in particular is no different from the organizations that they criticize.  They are merely selling a lifestyle that is slightly alternative to the one promoted by most organizations in the mainstream media.

The New and Improved Transmedia Storytelling of Marvel Comics

Henry Jenkins has layed out a set of basic characteristics and components for what he calls transmedia storytelling.  According to Jenkins, "Transmedia storytelling represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience."  It is storytelling created by horizontally integrated media companies, which is oftentimes encyclopedic, and built off of the creation of entire fictional worlds.

Transmedia storytelling is something that is becoming increasingly popular.  In a culture that is becoming driven by consumption and consumers that are, more and more, accessing media in a variety of ways, it is something that is becoming almost necessary for the ongoing success of a franchise.  To exemplify this, let's take a look at Marvel Comics.

Marvel Publishing Inc., which most people will recognize for their characters such as Spider-man and Iron-man, are increasingly making use of such transmedia storytelling, and becoming very successful in doing so.  Marvel began primarily as a comic book publisher, but in recent years have extended their brand into television, film, video games, toys, and more.  They have developed characters and storylines and worlds across all of these platforms to the point where it is encyclopedic (Marvel Comics Database).

Up until recent years however, much of this storytelling on Marvel's part has been disjointed, with special regard to the relationship between movies and comic books.  Many of their movies were being released not in canon with other movies or comics.  Each one existed as it's own separate entity, or as a direct retelling from an already existing comic book.  And even within the comic books there exist a multitude of realities, unrelated to one another.

Now, however, Marvel has become more aware or more skilled at transmedia storytelling.  A few years ago, they launched a massive reboot of movies based on their characters, including Iron-man and the Incredible Hulk, with future plans of releasing movies based on Thor, Captain America, and Ant-man.  They are even planning to release new Spider-man films, so that the character can be part of the rebooted canon.  

And all of these movies are intertwined.  They may not feature all of the same characters, but through cameos and other storytelling devices, it has been made apparent that all of the events in these movies are taking place in the same fictional world.  With the reboot of these movies, Marvel has also had launched new comic book series' and created video games that are meant to expand on story.  They even have plans on making an Avengers movie, which would take all of the characters from the above mentioned films and put them all in the same film.

They are doing all of this through following the basic guidelines put forth by Henry Jenkins, and they are staying very successful because of it, in spite of waning comic book sales.  They have learned to reach a variety of audiences through a variety of mediums, without abandoning any particular medium.  And all the while they are able to make each individual piece of fiction coherent and enjoyable, regardless of the platform.  Because of this, I think Marvel exemplifies how good transmedia storytelling is something that is and will continue to be important for the success of many forms of fictional media.

Censorship and Political Correctness in Media

In his book, "Media Literacy," James Potter attempts to analyze entertainment content.  And for the most part he does a good job of dissecting entertainment and it's various components.  However, when it comes to his portion on controversial content elements, I feel like he is missing something huge.

What Potter does recognize and provides a detailed analysis for is the amount of sexual content, homosexuality, violence, and language in media today, with specific focus on television.  With this analysis he also makes comparisons to entertainment content of decades past, claiming that "what offended viewers in the 1980's hardly gets their attention today.

What Potter fails to recognize is the way in which political correctness has penetrated nearly every aspect of entertainment and media.  While we as a culture have less and less inhibition on what controversial content we produce with regards to violence, language, and sexuality, we are more stringent on political correctness.  It seems that many media outlets are trying more and more to avoid offending people based on demographics such as race, religion, gender, and sexuality.

Take, for instance, the Rick Sanchez incident that occurred in the last week.  Sanchez was a TV news anchor for CNN up until this week when he was fired for comments he made as a guest on an unaffiliated radio show.  Here is the transcript.  Essentially, what lost Sanchez his job was his comment regarding Daily Show host Jon Stewart (calling him a "bigot") and his insinuation that CNN, the network who employed him, is controlled by Jews.

To me, his statements, while unwarranted, aren't completely outrageous--especially when compared to the entertainment content that airs on television everyday.  We are subject to much more controversial content all the time, but not in a fashion that is designed to offend one particular demographic.

In the 1970's television aired much less controversial content with regards to violence, language, sexuality, etc., but programs like Sanford and Son and All in the Family perpetuated racial stereotypes and bigotry, especially by the sensitive standards of today.  Many of the racial references made in these shows would never air on television today.  It is my opinion that our current media climate regarding controversial content is due to this politically correct censorship seeing a sharp rise, while at the same time other forms of controversial content (violence, language, etc.) are subject less and less censorship.