Exploring YouTube as a distribution alternative for independently produced television formats.

Abstract

The study investigated how the social media platform, YouTube, and its facilitation of online participatory culture can provide opportunities for distribution alternatives for independent video content producers in South Africa (SA). A theoretical perspective was presented on media convergence regarding its dynamics in merging social media platform, audience engagement and participation, as well as online distribution of television formats that are user generated. The other theoretical theory presented on political economy of media (PEM) regarding its dynamics to online media commodification and media control. This study explored how YouTube in SA has been utilised as an online media distribution platform and the role it plays in the democratisation of media. This in response to the needs of a developing South African market consuming web-series online. However, the role of YouTube has been strongly contested in terms of whether it can serve as a commodity, intellectual property (IP), and copyright gatekeeper through normative regulatory policy implementation in SA. The study adopted the qualitative methodology approach which used literature, as secondary sources in addition to primary data from interviews with four purposively selected South African independent producers and their YouTube channels as case studies. A summary of the findings derived from the four case studies revealed that the elements promoting media convergence might be used to explain why television-formatted web-series are distributed on YouTube which allowed the study’s case studies of independent producers the opportunity to monetise their content. However, there were restrictions when creating a web-series without considering copyright and government support for safeguarding online distribution for South African distributors. That could also be accessed in other global countries which have their own copyright laws.