You, me and Youtube

There is an increasing amount of discussion on new media and its impact on daily life and social behavior. The Christian Science Monitor’s Cole Camplese wrote an interesting editorial on the evolution of the web.

He mentions a video - “Charlie bit my finger” on Youtube viewed by 53 million people. The funny thing is, it’s a home video of two kids having their cute moment. Camplese says, “The point of this new media landscape is to create something and share it with the world.” The web has formed a community that provides interactivity and communication, which was not possible before.

You don't need to be a big actor and A-list director to showcase your work. Charlie’s older cousin on Youtube would be this “Evolution of Dance” video having over one-hundred million views. That is a phenomenal figure for any broadcast medium.

Here’s a comedian giving a six-minute performance on evolution of dancing. For many such performers and artists, Youtube and similar others have provided an economical and quick road to fame. The relentless growth in new media probably indicates the importance of convenience. Convenience to produce and share videos that previously had a small circle of audience.

There is a fair and equal opportunity for every person to broadcast himself and expect a reaction. The individuals out there have formed a community which now is responsible for making and breaking trends.

Camplese sums it up in three sentences. "Today the Web landscape is dominated by blogs, wikis, and social networks. It is finally fulfilling its original promise of interaction, engagement, collaboration, and conversation. We are living through a media revolution that is set to explode this political season."