The way people
are watching video
has changed forever.
The days where TV networks
decide what you watch
and when are over,
and have been replaced
by a new form of content
that is highly personalized
and that allows us to have
deeper, more expressive
connections, both online
and in the living room.
And, listen, I know you've heard
this, like 100 times,
but it doesn't make it
any less true.
YouTube is at the center
of this shift,
and it's changing the way
we learn, grow, spend our time,
and connect with others.
It has become indispensable,
which is why viewers themselves
say that YouTube
is the number one platform
that they would miss most
if it went away.
I'm a journalist
and have done work with Vox
and "The New York Times,"
and I have my own YouTube
channel where I have seen
this shift happen firsthand.
But it's not just me
who is seeing this.
There's really interesting data
and examples that show why and
how these changes are happening.
Person: What's up, guys?
MKBHD here.
[upbeat music]
Johnny: The first big reason
YouTube has become
so indispensable to its viewers
is that it's a place built
on a culture of sharing,
built on community.
Person: Hey, everybody!
Johnny: These communities bond
over similar interests,
like these livestreams
of tens of thousands
who gather to watch and react
to the same sports match.
Person: [Indistinct] to Harry.
Harry with a strike
off the post!
Johnny: Or to watch a concert
together
or celebrate an album release.
As a journalist, I lean
on my own virtual community
to tell stories.
I asked my subscribers to share
with me their experiences,
their knowledge,
and their perspectives
to help strengthen my reporting.
My audience is deeply involved
in my work,
which makes it a more personal
experience for both them and me.
And this ethic of gathering
and sharing isn't just online.
It also translates
in the real world
as a means of self-expression
and a way to open up
and connect with others.
And this co-viewing isn't
just happening on phones
and computers,
but instead around the
television in the living room,
the very spot
once dominated by linear TV.
This is community,
both online and physical,
that has helped push YouTube
into this space.
But community is just one reason
why YouTube has become
so embedded in viewing routines.
Another reason is that YouTube
is not just a place
for passive entertainment,
but also a place for learning.
Person: This is a tutorial on--
Person: Shooting.
Person: Playing piano.
Person: Japanese.
Johnny: Almost 90 percent
of viewers say that they come
to YouTube to learn skills.
Ninety percent.
YouTube empowers viewers
with skills and knowledge
that they continue to use
in many facets of their lives
long after they finish watching.
This is the part of YouTube
that I love the most.
I learned all of my video
and animation skills
not in a formal institution,
but on YouTube.
And I use those skills
to educate my audience
about global affairs
and geography
and a bunch of other stuff.
These learning experiences
happening on YouTube
are empowering
and democratizing.
They enrich viewers' lives
in a lasting way,
and they are a major reason
why millions of people,
myself included, see
the platform as an enriching,
vital part of our lives.
So, in addition to community
and helpfulness,
YouTube's indispensability
is also due to the simple fact
that the platform
makes people happy.
The vast and ever-growing
content library on YouTube
gives viewers and creators
a chance to craft their own
relationship with the content,
to find stuff that's relevant
to them,
regardless of whether or not
it has been deemed popular
or mainstream by TV ratings
or primetime programming slots.
It's a much more inclusive
and empowered relationship
with your content,
allowing you to feel entertained
but also included,
empowered, and inspired,
no matter what
your interests are.
So it's not surprising to me
that 80 percent of viewers say
that YouTube makes them happy.
I know I certainly do.
So, yeah, things have changed.
New questions are arising, like,
"What should we watch?
"Where do we watch it?
"With whom do we watch it?
"How is our identity connected
to what we watch and share?"
These are big questions
in the new video landscape,
and what I see and what the data
seems to show is that YouTube
is where people are turning
to answer these questions,
to find their own personalized
content experience
that brings them happiness
but also reflects their values
and interests,
helping unify them to their
community, virtual and physical.
And as long as that keeps
happening,
the platform will continue
to be an indispensable part
of our lives.