YouTube considered as new communicative phenomenonAnalyse of aims, processes and results from the perspective of Applied Science of Design

Abstract

This paper discusses the communicative change introduced by YouTube in three main aspects: 1) the content posted in this platform; 2) the production processes of the content; and 3) the role of the citizen in the new content. This analysis is done from the perspective of Applied Sciences of Design, understanding that communication phenomena have specific aims, which seek to achieve by means of processes, to reach finally concrete results. To undertake this study, the proposed hypothesis involves a triangulation among content producers, users and the advertising environment. This triangulation is performed taking into account the internal and external aspects of the analyzed phenomenon. The internal dimension concerns the design that guides the communicative phenomenon, leading to exceeding the mere sociological sphere of the users; and the external component analyzes the weight of the technology in this new communicative scenario and the actual use by citizens. To test the initial hypothesis, an empirical study is carried out, to analyzed the evolution of YouTube contents, with a greater number of followers and views worldwide, during the first half of 2014.