Talent, Multi-channel Networks (MCN) and the YouTube Generation

Abstract

This chapter offers a case study of the evolution of the multi-channel networks (MCN) and their usage as platforms for showcasing new media talent. Drawing on original interviews with key cultural intermediaries, it examines how these platforms strategically and practically interact with mainstream broadcasters such as the BBC and Channel 4, as well as independent television production companies. The chapter identifies the emerging contours of this new environment and how they are reshaping the ways in which sectors of the television industry identify and nurture the next generation of content creators. This chapter examines how broadcasters have been playing catch up as broader shifts in the television landscape impact on audiences and where these audiences seek out television content. The chapter argues that the television industry and the social video environment are two distinct ecologies with at times minimal crossover. It discusses what the implication of this are for the television sector.