YouTube is considered by some Bakersfield College students to be a narcissist’s paradise.
On the other hand, many BC students consider the YouTube web site to be just a simply fun place to while away the hours.
YouTube is billed as a “free video hosting web site” wherein aspiring Eisensteins can share personal videotaped vignettes with fellow web cruisers.
Others enjoy viewing the antics recorded by the amateur filmmakers known as “videoblogging,” as well as professional film and music video clips.
YouTube utilizes Adobe Flash technology to deploy what many BC students feel are highly amusing videos.
“I get music videos (by using YouTube),” said Lauren Fanucchi, 22, and a BC culinary arts major. Fanucchi admitted to getting her toes wet trying amateur filmmaking via YouTube.
“I tried to do my own videos,” she said. “I taped the ‘Larry the Cable Guy’ concert.
It turned out pretty good although I forgot to turn on the microphone (during the taping),” she said.
Other BC students enjoy the amateur efforts of others.
“I saw a home video comedy thing (on YouTube),” said Jose Gonzalez, 21, and an art major. “There were two family members messing around on a log floating in a river; one was teasing the other and making him fall off the log. It was funny,” he said.
Asked if he would consider placing his own filmmaking efforts on the web site, he replied, “that’s not my thing.”
Some BC students just use YouTube to view music videos.
“I got music videos off of it; I just look for the music videos I like,” said Jenna Romanini, 18, and undeclared.
According to Answers. Com, YouTube, with its “broadcast yourself” slogan was started in Feb. 15, 2005 and was the brainchild of three PayPal employees, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim.
The computer science and design students from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign began their infamous enterprise from a garage, according to Answers, with a backing of 11.5 million from enterprise capital firm Sequoia Capital.
According to statistics provided by Answers, as of July 16, 2006, YouTube has daily displayed 100 million clips and 65, 000 new clips are uploaded every 24 hours.
Nielsen/NetRatings reports that YouTube welcomes 20 million site cruisers every month.
According to a July 23, 2006, New York Post article, YouTube has an estimated worth of between $600 million and $1 billion.
YouTube, according to InformationWeek, has savored such immense success that Microsoft recently countered the site with its own video-sharing service, Soapbox.
According to Wikipedia, YouTube is most popular with the 12-17 age range, with 44% female and 56% male viewers.
Of course, YouTube has older viewers.
“I watched the movie, “Saw II (on YouTube),” said Prag Patel, 20, and a pharmacy major. “It was pretty cool.”
“I was looking at some choir stuff (on YouTube),” said Jofel Tolosa, 19, and an English major. “I like singing,” he said.
“They (on YouTube) were doing a Nintendo video games type of medley. It was fun.”