Current Events > Is YouTube a better entertainment platform than TV in 2023

(+) Yeah! (+)

Honestly I think it is.

depends on what you find entertaining

name a youtube exclusive that is cinema levels

Dunno.

I don't watch much on YouTube. Old music videos. Maybe something like Innuendo Studios. Occasionally Pokmon VGC stuff.

I never got into liking all these YouTube 'personalities' and watching their channels. Or caring about them.

For something that is free, youtube is well worth it.

Its been shit ever since google bought it

In some ways yes, in other ways no.

Depends what you're looking for.

Not for anything narrative.

I don't typically go for the "random talking head whose head is actually located in his ass, talking to his audience of millions about things he doesn't understand".

So I voted no.

If by TV you mean streaming as well, than no. If just cable TV than, I'd say yes.

depends on how you define TV

when i first read the topic title, i was picturing youtube TV vs. cable. in which case i was like, eh, it's probably better but i really don't know that much about youtube TV, but the bar for cable is so low that it HAS to be better, right?

then i thought it over a little more and was picturing youtube vs. cable. in which case, i was like, what kind of fucking question is that? absolutely youtube is better. anyone who's stayed in a hotel in the last several years should agree that cable is a complete and utter meme - shit programming, sped up programming to make room for more commercials, programming littered with ads, fucking LOUD commercials compared to the programming... it's unwatchable.

however, if you're talking youtube vs. TV, and "TV" INCLUDES streaming, then it's TV. depending on one's tastes, i could see picking youtube, but there is so much elite television out there that i have no idea how one could choose youtube for any reason other than the price tag.

Than cable TV, or even over the air broadcast? Unequivocally yes. The only thing youTube is really missing is sports, and if the price of getting sports is being exposed to the garbage advertising of TV, then I can do without them.

And that's just youTube in isolation. If you combine it with a streaming service or two, then there's just no contest at all.

For what I consume, yes. I can't stand to watch ongoing series at this point because so many of them turn to shit, so I don't keep up with anything actively airing.

COVxy posted...

I don't typically go for the "random talking head whose head is actually located in his ass, talking to his audience of millions about things he doesn't understand" form of entertainment.

So I voted no.

You do know Youtube has a lot more variety of content than just talking heads?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Just looked it up. That's more comparable to an audio book or podcast than television. I was moreso speaking specifically about narrative filmmaking, which YouTube still lacks. There's some good channels like Omeleto or whatever but they're basically just indie films that couldn't find a platform.

For the content I actually like to watch youtube by far. I can watch someone building up a farm from scratch or a solo sail across the Pacific maybe a funny competition about fixing cars. For me there is always something new im willing to watch on you tube and almost none of it is something I can find on TV.

Not even the slightest bit.

Damn_Underscore posted...

Honestly I think it is.

what great shows are there even on tv right now? most of you believe this is one of the weakest times in history for tv shows?

Pikachuchupika posted...

You do know Youtube has a lot more variety of content than just talking heads?

If you see a dumbass face with a thick outline, don't bother. Suddenly Youtube becomes great.

50/50

i watch youtube more than any other app. plenty of entertaining content but majority of it i just have on in the background. tv shows i care way more to pay attention to. at least on streaming. on actual TV i never use and just have it cause it was cheaper bundled with internet. i only really use my tv for sports and will go months without using it. i gone close to a decade without cable so i'm used to it now.

I think we've taken it for granted, but Youtube is life changing. There is so much content on there for just about anything you can think of. And you can pick and choose what to watch. I remember being bored of TV because often you couldn't find anything good to watch, and sometimes you'd miss a show because it came on at a specific time.

Pikachuchupika posted...

I think we've taken it for granted, but Youtube is life changing. There is so much content on there for just about anything you can think of. And you can pick and choose what to watch. I remember being bored of TV because often you couldn't find anything good to watch, and sometimes you'd miss a show because it came on at a specific time.

yeah i agree. youtube was great. One of the greatest things to come of the internet age. and far superior to overrated trash like facebook ...et...

Pikachuchupika posted...

You do know Youtube has a lot more variety of content than just talking heads?

Any content that isn't some form of that or long essay is just random people doing random shit. It's not at all comparable to TV because there's no actual programming, no actual production, etc. It's like asking "is TikTok better entertainment than a movie?" Doesn't really make much sense to compare them.

Personally though, I'll take watching Game of Thrones over "Tom Talks About Shit He Doesn't Know" or "Omar Opines About Latest Video Game or Internet Drama" or "random teen lights himself on fire".

COVxy posted...

Any content that isn't some form of that or long essay is just random people doing random shit. It's not at all comparable to TV because there's no actual programming, no actual production, etc. It's like asking "is TikTok better entertainment than a movie?" Doesn't really make much sense to compare them.

Personally though, I'll take watching Game of Thrones over "Tom Talks About Shit He Doesn't Know" or "Omar Opines About Latest Video Game or Internet Drama" or "random teen lights himself on fire".

I'd agree that youtube doesn't hold the same space as HBO, but i disagree that there arent comparables with regards to travel, lifestyle, history or home and gardening. A lot of channels i easily could see being on TV.

Adama Ragusea
Townsend
Tasting History
Living big
Tokyo Lens

I feel like that's the exact type of shit people are railing tv for, cooking, travel shows. Things like Ellen or other daytime tv.

But they they are taking all of their beloved and really high quality tv shows and for some reason just isolating them as "streaming". Even though a lot of the biggest most watched and highly regard shows originated on tv, even if you watched them via streaming.

COVxy posted...

I feel like that's the exact type of shit people are railing tv for, cooking, travel shows. Things like Ellen or other daytime tv.

But they they are taking all of their beloved and really high quality tv shows and for some reason just isolating them as "streaming". Even though a lot of the biggest most watched and highly regard shows originated on tv, even if you watched them via streaming.

Nah those type of shows have never been the issue. People just don't see the big production shows as worth the value of a cable package. Outside of HBO, everything people stream is like 10 years old. Cable TV hasn't been producing much of what people want for a while. The Office, Walking Dead, even GoTs, created at a time when people still found value in cable. Netflix gives you the big production stuff and Youtube basically fills in the rest.