Article
YouTube
Overview
YouTube launched in 2005 and quickly became the dominant user‑generated video platform. Its "broadcast yourself" ethos created new forms of fame, new distribution routes for music and comedy, and early creator economies.
Key Points
- Founding: 2005; rapid growth through the late 2000s.
- Cultural impact: made short viral videos and home performance visible, allowed musicians to reach audiences without gatekeepers, and created early YouTube celebrities.
- Formats: home video uploads, music videos, tutorials, early vlogs and webseries.
- Platform changes: became a major partner for the music industry and later developed monetisation, partner programmes and policy frameworks that formalised creator careers.
Writing Tips
- Describe the video page, upload timestamps, view counters and the sense of public performance.
- Use YouTube URLs, embedded players and comments sections as scene devices for both intimacy and public spectacle.