A Prediction About The Dark Future of Youtube
188Help us take action to prevent this future from occurring! http://www.strikingly.com/martelltv
It is now 2013, and it appears the old Hollywood Studio system is coming back with a vengeance. Major media conglomerates like Time Warner and News Corp. are investing heavily into Youtube networks; networks like Maker Studios and machinima who pressure indie creators into signing contracts that last for "perpetuity", and seize ownership of their shows. Google has even re-designed Youtube to drive its traffic to videos belonging to these major networks. Old Hollywood wants it all, and the future seems dark. But there is a new challenger on the horizon...
I am Carey Martell, CEO of a small Youtube Partner Network and I see a dark future ahead for independent creators who use Youtube. The direction the industry is heading is NOT one that takes the interests of indies to heart, and the overwhelming majority of people Partnered by networks like machinima, Broadband tv, Full Screen and Maker Studios are only recruited to inflate the total network views so the network's sales pitch is better to investors. They have absolutely no interest in the welfare of the overwhelming majority of their partners, and the owners of those networks will gladly sell off their companies to major media conglomerates like Time Warner and News Corp. If nothing is done, the protection offered by unions like SAG will be rendered useless. Hollywood has already demonstrated they can produce reality TV shows without even giving the writers any screen credit, and find cheap volunteer actors. They have a long history of moving production to Canada and Australia in order to avoid paying American union rates or even paying taxes on film shoots. This trend will increase dramatically as the years go by, and unions will fall apart simply due to a lack of work by their members who become blacklisted from productions!
I view the disarming of the unions as inevitable, but I think there is still a way for indies to have a bright future. But this requires the creation of third party platforms that synchronize with social networks and multiple video streaming platforms, to create a search experience focused on showing indie productions. Martell TV is a project to create that better tomorrow. Please support us!
Links that demonstrate my predictions are grounded in facts:
Burger Robot Could Revolutionize Industry - Business Insider http://www.businessinsider.com/burger-robot-could-revolutionize-fast-food-industry-2012-11
Redbox leads to 1 billion revenue but 9,280 people lose their jobs
http://www.scpr.org/news/2009/12/07/8785/study-says-low-cost-dvd-rentals-could-lead-1-billi/
Maker Studios raises 36 million dollars from investors like Time Warner and News Corp.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-maker-studios-raises-36-million-20121220,0,1350229.story
Ray William Johnson shows Maker Studios contract trying to steal his show
http://newmediarockstars.com/2012/12/why-i-left-maker-studios/
Machinima forces Partners to sign perpetuity contract
http://www.dailydot.com/business/braindeadly-machinima-lifetime-contract-protest/