YouTube
YouTube (██)
YouTube is the dominant video-sharing site. It’s useful for posting your own
videos, curating collections of videos as playlists, live streaming, and as a source for reporting.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great search capability | Little control over ads |
| Large, global user base | Related content may not be related, and may draw viewers to competitors |
| Can upload long videos | Cluttered screen |
| Supports 360 Video | The comments/community can be toxic |
Audience
Youtube reaches more than 80% of internet users in the U.S, and more
than a billion unique visitors access YouTube each month. Men and women
of all ages use YouTube, and taking “gaming” videos out of the equation,
the gender divide is fairly even.
Metrics
Youtube provides extensive analytics based on Google Analytics,
including traffic sources, subscriber demographics, number of views,
comments, etc. For an introduction to using YouTube analytics, see the
chapter “Analytics Overview” in Media Impact Project's Guide to YouTube
for Journalists.
Privacy
During a user's first attempt at at uploading a video, YouTube prompts the user to create a channel. You can either use your real first and last name here, or change to a different display name. This setting is reversible.
When uploading a video, you can also select the audience, i.e. 'public', 'private' or 'unlisted'. While public is self-explanatory, the difference between private and unlisted is subtle. "Unlisted" videos can be seen with anyone who has the link to the video, whereas "private" videos can only be seen by those you explicitly choose to share the video with. This link has a breakdown of the entitlements across the three modes.
Security
Supports Two-Factor Authentication: Yes (or no, if you're using your Columbia account).
YouTube uses the same two-factor authentication as your Google account (this doesn't extend to your Columbia account), i.e. when you log in to YouTube, it will prompt you for the second factor. If you haven't yet, enable two-factor on your Google account by going to https://myaccount.google.com/security#signin. Under "Password & sign-in method", enable 2-Step Verification. Texts, phone calls, and a code-generator/authenticator application are all ways in which you can secure your Google account. Like with others, always store your recovery codes in a safe place, lest you need it.
Case studies
Newsroom
Most major broadcasters are on Youtube. Youtube's News and Politics
Channel offers a curated selection of their news media partners.
Classroom
Lisa Cohen's Spring 2016 video course at the Columbia Journalism School experimented with 360° immersive, virtual reality videos to cover several events, including an anti-Donald Trump rally in New York. The videos live on YouTube.
Additional resources
Tutorial\/help: Guide to YouTube for Journalists, YouTube Tutorials on Lynda