Ramsland+Blog+Post+Anal.

TO: Video team FROM: Finn Ramsland SUBJECT: YouTube joins quest to become TV of the Digital age DATE: Jan 4, 2009

I was asked to analyze a blog post or news item to help develop questions for the video section of our winter survey. Below is my summary of a //True/Slant// article by Diane Mermigas on YouTube's goal to become the TV for the digital age. Below I cover the merits of YouTube and recommend Winter survey questions that look into user interest in YouTube.


 * What is YouTube trying to accomplish? **

YouTube is essentially an online video database. Users can upload videos to the site, search the database for specific videos and watch them. The average YouTube viewer uses the site for 15 minutes per day., Viewers watch TV, by contrast, for nearly 5 hours per day. Google sees television as YouTubes greatest competition and is working to find ways to keep users on YouTube for longer periods of time in order to increase the value of ads. Many analysts like Mermigas believe that online video and TV sites such as YouTube, Hullu and Netflix will eventually take the place of traditional TV. Google is simply using YouTube to claim its place in the future of entertainment through YouTube.

According to Mermigas, traditional TV networks are on the out and online replacements are quickly taking center stage. This begs the question of why this change is happening? In YouTubes case, there are three reasons: **
 * Why is this change important?
 * **__Cost__** - YouTube offers free entertainment to everyone which is ideal, giving YouTube an edge.
 * **__Availability__** - YouTube is available anywhere, anytime. Viewers with an internet connection can watch anything in the database. Being able to watch anything any time (as opposed to waiting for a favorite show to air like on TV) is a huge advantage.
 * **__Experience__** - YouTube uses advanced algorithmic parsing to allow a personalized, adaptive, individual based experience

There are a few questions to be answered before entering the market with the new YouTube agenda.
 * Questions: **


 * Are users content with cable modern TV and more specifically its availability?
 * How often are you on YouTube?
 * Has the amount of time you spend on YouTube increased over the past year?

These questions will give a better picture of the market for this new advancement of YouTube.

__Reference:__

Mermigas, D. (2009, December 31) YouTube Joins Quest to Become TV of the Digital Age. //True/Slant//. Retrieved Jan. 4, 2010, from []