YouTube presents a unique opportunity for organizations large and small, mainstream and weird, to host their video permanently.
The Real News Network
Videos: 1,914 / Views: 13,413,301 / Average: 7,000 views per video
Most viewed video: Obama faces racism in West Virginia (538,000 views)
The Real News is an experiment in news production, attempting to fund production of investigative journalism completely on online donations. They don’t repeat wire stories and don’t do talking heads. As a result, the number of videos they’ve made is rather small, but they’re gaining popularity.
New Tang Dynasty TV
Videos: 8,917 / Views: 40,450,000 / Average: 4,536 views per video
Most viewed video: Scientists Capture Giant Antarctic Sea Creatures (1,428,000 views)
This is a perfect group to make use of YouTube. The NTD channel, based in East Asia, tries hard to be a major independent news channel despite lack of any serious corporate backing (it’s backed by Falun Gong, like the Christian Science Monitor). It puts out daily briefings on Asia, economic news, and so forth. Thanks to YouTube its work can be saved permanently while government-run broadcasts like CNTV and NHK vanish slilently into the ether.
RT
Videos: 10,757 / Views: 140,000,000 / Average: 13,014 v/v
Most viewed video: Kid dies falling from Ferris wheel (6,800,000 views)
Finally, a news network that isn’t afraid to spring for plain old baseless sensationalism. Wait, that’s HNC— this is even worse. RT (Russia Today) is a tabloid outfit based in Russia that reports on conspiracy theories and UFOs as well as the usual range of politics and celebrity news. Nevertheless, the semblance of real reporting makes their videos strangely appealing.
Supreme Master Television (alternate)
Videos: 14,000 / Views: 5,340,000 / Average: 380 v/v
Most viewed video: Free Energy Generator and Overunity-John Searl and the Searl Effect Generator (250,000 views)
This channel, on the other hand, has nothing but looney programming. It’s difficult to watch more than 10 seconds of the 14,000 videos on these two channels without realizing that the outfit behind them is completely unhinged. (The mess of subtitles in 14 languages helps.) This is in fact the official television network of God’s Direct Contact Spiritual Master Ching Hai, a new religious leader who primarily teaches veganism and spiritual growth. You may learn some interesting things about the New Age world from watching these videos, but as the low view count makes plain, you’d be quite lonely in your knowledge.
Al Jazeera English
Videos: 16,034 / Views: 166,000,000 / Average: 10,352 v/v
Most viewed video: Chinese children sent to fat camps 02-Sept-07 (2,440,000 views)
AJE’s YouTube channel is somewhat of a coup for the organization, which American cable networks refuse to carry because it is based in the Middle East. The most viewed video excepted, most of its popularity on YouTube comes from its uniquely hard-hitting coverage of world politics, absent from the likes of CNN and FNC.
Alex Jones’ Infowars
Videos: 5,254 / Views: 56,600,000 / Average: 10,772 v/v
Most viewed video: Charlie Sheen’s Video Message to President Obama (1,142,000 views)
Ugh, I guess I have to include this guy too.
CBN
Videos: 2,229 / Views: 2,400,000 / Average: 1,076 v/v
Most viewed video: He Sold His Soul to the Devil: Then God Stepped In - CBN.com (189,000 views)
All the fun of watching the Christian Broadcasting Network, with the exciting ability to stop. At least they have more videos than their Catholic rival EWTN.
Associated Press
Videos: 35,455 / Views: 460,000,000 / Average: 12,974 v/v
Most viewed video: Teen Decapitated by Six Flags Roller-coaster (7,000,000 views)
Yes, the big wire networks have YouTube channels as well, although Reuters’ channel is rather crap. The sheer enormity of AP’s raw video collection is a gift to YouTube which is often beyond the ability of video hunters to find, but it still racks up hundreds of millions.
CBS News
Videos: 13,612 / Views: 42,270,000 / Average: 3,100 v/v
Most viewed video: Killer Whale Kills SeaWorld Trainer (3,400,000 views)
CBS is notable among the major networks for the number of videos uploaded.
TheYoungTurks
Videos: 6,786 / Views: 266,300,000 / Average: 39,242 v/v
Most viewed video: Woman Shows Face After Chimp Attack
This channel seems to mostly steal videos from cable news. I’m not sure why YouTube hasn’t shut them down yet.
