Episode 38: Social Media Entertainment: The New Intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley

In this episode we talk to David Craig, Clinical Associate Professor at USC Annenberg’s School for Communication and Journalism and a Fellow at the Peabody Media Center, and Stuart Cunningham, Distinguished Professor of Media and Communication, Queensland University of Technology. They are the authors of Social Media Entertainment: The New Intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley, in which they interviewed more than 200 online content creators. Social media entertainment has expanded rapidly and the traditional entertainment industry has been forced to cede significant power and influence to content creators, their fans, and subscribers. In this episode we discuss the rise of social media entertainment and its impact on media consumption and production, as well as the “convergence” of these industries, with the example of Indian-Canadian YouTuber Lilly Singh getting her own late night show on traditional television. Yet, who is Lilly Singh’s community? How do fandom and audience move across the internet and back to cable? Can online content creators bring their type of unique talent to traditional, legacy media?

Here are some more of the things mentioned in this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper:

Lilly Singh – Codename ||Superwoman||
Taking over Last Call with Carson Daly
Best-selling book
Soldout worldwide tours

Late Night Hosts Utilizing YouTube as a Platform:
James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke
Ellen Degeneres’ YouTube Channel

More Content Creators Mentioned in This Podcast:
Hannah Hart’s My Drunk Kitchen; Food Network Series “I Hart Cooking”
Vlog Brothers (Hank & John Green); Nerd Fighters
Michelle Phan
Chiara Ferragniblog
PewDiePie
Ninja
Rural Indian housewivescooking videos
Huda Kattan

YouTube Activism:
Casey Neistat (YouTube + Article)
Ingrid Nilsen (YouTube + Article) – Clairol Glambassador
Markiplier
Asian-American YouTubers predating “Crazy Rich Asians”
Jerome JarréLove Army

Comcast Streaming Service

Life of YouTube Content Creator

YouTubers who have more than a million followers

Schwab’s drug store Hollywood discovery myth

Available Tools from YouTube:
YouTube Creator Academy
YouTube Spaces

Disciplinary actions of brands, community and creators

YouTube Creator Advocacy

Internet Creators Guild

Is a second YouTube Adpocalypse coming?

Platform Governance:
EU platform regulations
Australian inquiry around algorithm regulator that allocates advertising
Elizabeth Warren – breaking up tech titans
Problem of Platform Governance
YouTube IP responsibility under Safe Harbor provisions

Creator regulation in China
Wanghong economy
ByteDance – Fastest-growing Tech Company (owner of TikTok), acquired Musical.ly
Chinese economy slowing

Attackers on NZ mosques live-streamed their attacks – referenced PewDiePie

Queer Activism:
Stonewall Riots
GLAAD

Social Media Activism:
Parkland teenagers
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC)
Australian Senator Press Release after New Zealand Shooting
Elizabeth Warren & Rupert Murdoch both calling for divestiture of anti-trust

Internet Governance Policy Conference (American University, May 24, 2019)

Read Henry’s previous conversations with David & Stuart on Multichannel Networks and the New Screen Ecology

Ethan Zuckerman’s Cute Cat Theory

Internet Creators Guild

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