Business Spotlight: YouTube Part 2

Category : Business

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. in (one’s) own right / ɪn oʊn raɪt / (idiom) – through one’s own efforts, talents, and skills and not because of connections with famous or powerful people
    Example:

    Although Noah’s mother was a well-known restaurant owner, he became a successful chef in his own right.


  2. nonetheless / ˌnʌn ðəˈlɛs / (adv.) – in spite of what has just been said or done
    Example:

    It was a very long and tiring hike. Nonetheless, it was worth it because the view on top of the mountain was absolutely beautiful.


  3. instrumental / ˌɪn strəˈmɛn tl / (adj.) – having an important role in making something happen
    Example:

    Social media is instrumental in spreading information quickly. That’s why a lot of politicians use it for their campaigns.


  4. tepid / ˈtɛp ɪd / (adj.) – not very strong, as when describing feelings or actions
    Example:

    The people were not happy with the government’s tepid response to environmental issues.


  5. forge / fɔrdʒ / (v.) – to create or form something by putting in a lot of effort
    Example:

    The project members were able to forge a strong relationship because they overcame several challenges together.


Article

Read the text below.

Continued from Part 1…


YouTube’s success drew the attention of Google, which acquired the site for $1.65 billion (about ¥200 billion) in the autumn of 2006. It was Google’s second largest acquisition at the time.


With Google’s support, YouTube has evolved from an amateur video-sharing site to a comprehensive media company in its own right. Users can now stream music, rent full-length movies and television programs, and watch livestreams of major sporting events all on the one site.


Nonetheless, like many top-performing websites, YouTube is no stranger to controversy. Complaints about the website are wide-ranging. Though it has been instrumental in shaping politics, the website has been criticized for its tepid response to extremist videos. Similarly, though it has helped forge many careers, it has also been condemned for how it monetizes its videos. Both have caused advertisers to withdraw from the site.


Regardless, YouTube’s enormous influence is clear. Love it or hate it, it has quite literally changed how we view the world.


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • After YouTube was acquired by Google, the company evolved into a comprehensive media company. Users can now stream music, rent full-length movies and television programs, and watch livestreams of major sporting events. Do you think this change was good or bad? Why? Discuss.
  • Recently, other content-sharing sites like TikTok are becoming popular. Do you think these other apps will follow the same path as YouTube (from an amateur video-sharing site to a comprehensive media company)? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • YouTube has been criticized for its tepid response to extremist videos. How much control do you think YouTube should have over the videos posted on its platform (ex. rules against certain videos should be strict, everyone should be able to post anything)? Why? Discuss.
  • According to the article, YouTube changed the way people view the world. Do you think this is true? Why or why not? Discuss.
Category : Business