In the previous columns I’ve written about Youtube, I’ve focused on some of the more strange and unique video channels available.
Want to watch a guy build a mud hut with a heated floor or watch someone open up a 50-year-old military ration and, maybe, eat some really old crackers? I’ve had you covered. Those channels are maintained by people not interested in Youtube stardom, but want to share their particular hobbies with others.
However, Youtube has become more than a simple video service. It’s also a platform where some of the more popular hosts can make a living off of the videos they post. Some channels have developed to a point where full-fledged production companies create and post content, earning money off of advertisements as a Youtube Partner and any sponsorship deals they’re able to land.
Some of these companies, like Fine Brothers Entertainment, Buzzfeed Video and Facts, has made themselves popular through videos recording the reactions a group of people have to unfamiliar things. These videos are very profitable due to the low cost involved in producing them, which also makes them a popular format for production companies.
These sorts of programs have been around for as long as TV itself, with many of our readers likely remembers shows such as “Kids Say the Darndest Things” hosted by Art Linkletter and later, Bill Cosby.
A few of these videos are truly interesting, such as watching South Korean people try American barbecue, soda pop and authentic Mexican food for the first time. Others make a person feel old, such as watching teens use a dial-up internet connection or read through print encyclopedias. Overall, they do exactly what they’re meant to do, provide a source of cheap, forgettable entertainment.
But, sometimes intellectual take-out food is just what a person needs to unwind. I can’t say its completely useless. React videos gave me something to write about.
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