Digital Media Convergence, the 'New Media' and an Opportunity for Advertising.

Advertising in Youtube a poor mans wealth

Digital Media Convergence refers to the amalgamation of four industries into one conglomerate, (information technologies, telecommunication, consumer electronics and entertainment) or ITTCE for short. This spawn of previously four existing industries into a co-existing and  symbiotic relationship, which has provided new and innovative solutions for consumers and business users. New Media as Terry Flew describes it as technologies that are digital, and have the ability to be 'manipulated, networkable, dense, compressible and interactive' (Flew, 2008). New Media although does not include such things as television shows, movies and books unless they are able to be digitally interactive (Manovich, Lev, 2003).

This 'child' of the former technological world has opened up new opportunities for many things, not only can people connect through social media platforms, share information, music and more importantly culture with the rest of the world, unfortunately it has also opened up new forms of crimes to be committed. But what is inescapable is the opportunity that Digital Media Convergence creates for the potential to make profit. Not only are big businesses able to turn the udder of the internet into profit but now thanks to Digital Media Convergence, digital information coding and digital cameras now home film makers and aspiring comedians can post their own videos on the interned site YouTube (www.youtube.com) and if they are popular enough can actually get paid to do it.

Digital Media Convergence has had a profound effect on both Advertising and New Media because of the way the consumer and producer are interconnected and in many cases the same thing. on Facebook for example where users of the website are also its participants, news specific sites such as Sydney Morning Herald (www.smh.com.au) where journalists work is published online, and due an increasing trend of media participation the work is also open to scrutiny, praise or just a general comment by the audience of the media. Maged Boulos in 'Wikis, Blogs and Podcasts' describes the evolution of the meaning of the 'WWW.' (world wide web) in internet sites as not only the 'vehicle to gain information and purchase goods, but has become a fully interactive and participatory platform' (Boulos, et al, 2006).

Youtube since its induction into the world wide web in 2005 has become such a platform. Where consumers of 'new media' are also the producers who are able to upload their own content online, this form of digital media convergence is as Lucas Hilderbrand explains Youtube as at the 'forefront of web video' also using some of Youtube's cliches such as 'viral, revolutionary and a phenomenon' (Hilderbrand, 2007, pg. 48). The `explosiveness of Youtube's rise to popularity has been coupled with the the increase of advertising used in and around the Youtube site and its videos. This Phenomenon has enticed a new generation of online film makers who can and are happy to make a comfortable living off their videos on Youtube.

Me at the Zoo by Jawed Karim (co-creator of Youtube/ first video to ever be uploaded)



The way that advertising works in the New media form of Youtube is off a videos ability to attract attention in the form of documented views, likes and comments on a video. If an account holders videos have enough documented views on their video they are able to apply for the partnership program which if the application is successful, the user is allowed to make money off the selected video. Once a video is accepted the publisher of the video is able to select overlay ads, that appear on the bottom of a video, banner ads that appear next to the video and pre-role ads that play before the video has started. (Wei, sept 2010) Youtube in this case is the middle man in a highly integrated system of companies and advertising platform owners. Youtube is reliant on the revenue created from advertising which is reliant on the amount of viewers and publishers Youtube has. This convergent form of New Media as Youtube and the advertising world shows just how multileveled digital media convergence has become. Home users are now able to get a slice of the Pie.

The 'Perception of Youtube's popularity have had a snowball effect for both up-loads and streaming' online videos (hilderbrand, 2007, pg. 54). The Populairty of Youtube enables users to make large proportions of money off their original videos. In turn there has also been a fracture in the terminology of the word celebrity, with a new breed of 'web-celebrity' becoming more and more common throughout social and interactive media platforms. The web-celebrity Shane Dawson is said to have made US $ 315, 000, (Wei, aug 2010) per year from his Youtube video's alone which include comedy skits, music videos as well as short films of comical characters such has 'ned the nerd', this puts him at the highest grossing youtube filmmaker. Forbes has also recognised him as their 25th most famous web-celebrity (Ewalt D, 2010).


Other web-celebrity's include the lovable 'Fred' as played by Lucas Cruikshank, who earns US $ 146,000 per year. Lucas' Character has gained such fame that he has guest starred on episodes of Nickledeons ICarly, and Disneys Hannah Montana, he has also played lead roles in three movies made about his character 'Fred' and his adventures. Such is the fame of the web-celebrities that it is expected for them to make money off the advertising off Youtube. In a way these people are at the forefront of Digital Media Convergence, they are the consumers but have become the producers and through advertising have been able to make a very comfortable amount of money through their online videos. Such has been the success of online advertising that in 2006 the US ratio of money spent on online advertising to mobile advertising was 38:1 respectively ('Clicks' 2007), such is the potential of web advertising.


In Conclusion Digital Media Convergence has affected New Media in the form of Youtube in such a way that it has built it into a conglomerate of companies who want to advertise, producers who make the videos, who with youtube reap the benefits of the wealth injected into the 'youtube economy', by the companies who want to advertise their product. This relationship is symbiotic, as all parties are in reliance of one another to gain benefit and stay alive, and as the fame and love for Youtube and similar media platforms increase so will the revenue. As for Youtube and its future, looks very bright.

References:

- Boulos MN, Maramba I, Wheeler S, et al. Wikis, blogs and podcasts: a new generation of Web-based tools for virtual collaborative clinical practice and education. BMC Medical Education2006;6:41

- Flew, T, (2008), ‘New Media: an introduction’ Oxford University Press. Pg. 1-403.

- Hilderbrand L, (2007), ‘Youtube: Where Cultural Memory and Copyright Convergence’, Film Quarterly Vol 61.

- Manovich, Lev. "New Media From Borges to HTML." The New Media Reader. Ed. Noah Wardrip-Fruin & Nick Montfort. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2003. 13-25.

- Own article- Ewalt, David M. (2010-02-02). "The Web Celeb 25". Forbes. Retrieved 26 August 2012.

- Story, L. (2007e) ‘Online Customized Ads Move a Step Closer’, The New York Times 2 July, URL (accessed

July 2007): http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/02/technology/02yahoo.html. Retrieved from Convergence the international journal of research into new media technologies.

-  Wei W, (August, 2010), ‘Meet The YouTube Stars Making $100,000 Plus Per Year’ retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/ (27/08/2012)

- Wei W, (September, 2010), ‘How to Become the Next YouTube Star Making $100,000 Plus Per Year’ retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/ (27/08/2012)

Video/ picture: 

- Jawed, (apr 2005), Video retrieved from,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQXAC9IVRw, on 30/08/2012

- doraidmohammad.wordpress (sept, 2010)Picture retrieved from http://www.doraidmohammad.wordpress.com/, on 31/08/2012