Strengths and Weaknesses of YouTube in India - Essay Example

 Strengths and Weaknesses of YouTube in India Strengths YouTube is very user-friendly and uploading videos is at the click of a button, so fast and reliable in terms of its user interface. It is also customized such that one can be able to save their favorite songs in a playlist and can replay them anytime. It also allows one to watch a wide array of all kinds of video and music files, which range from one country to another so long as you key in whatever it is you desire to watch. It also allows one to share on social media sites the favorite files that interest them[Glo]. They may also comment on the videos comment page, whether it was to their satisfaction or not. It also contains different kinds of localized contents, from videos to all genres of music from all over the world to suit the growing musical and entertainment needs. The user interface is easy to understand and use. It enjoys copyright privileges and hence, the rights of the artists are protected. One is able to learn a lot from Google from the do it yourself tutorials. On the other hand, there are some competitions that people make money from sharing the content with friends; hence this may be a source of income for those who spend loads of their time on the site[Glo]. On Opportunities, YouTube has some experts that have provided the people with a platform to showcase their creativity through the tutorials, movies and music. They are therefore able to get potential clientele from the same. YouTube allows one to be shareholder; this is done by uploading some videos with no copyright issues. They may then give you a share of the revenue collected depending on the views and the interest spurred among the audience. The weaknesses of YouTube are that: it has week parental advisory features; hence, minors often view explicit content. This encourages addictions to pornography, drug abuse and violent contents that lead to vices in the communities. Through video tutorials minors may also learn bad behavior if they are not monitored. It may also be the entry of cheap counterfeit videos in the market as everyone may upload mediocre content[Neo]. The Threats that YouTube normally faces is that, with no copyright licenses, musicians and actors/actresses often face losses as their videos are often downloaded and hence, a slump in their sales. There are arguments that some YouTube posts can tarnish a good image or reputations of people or organizations. Institutions like universities have banned their students from accessing the site in the School Computer centers; hence, YouTube loses a considerable amount of revenue as a result. There is also new and more powerful similar sites being launched worldwide thus competition to the local YouTube channel. 1. An Assessment of YouTube's growth through alliances and partnerships. While YouTube had globally entered into various partnerships with content providers such as BBC, CBS, NBA, Sony Music Group, The Sundance Channel, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, etc., it had also struck deals with Eros Entertainment, the International Indian Film Academy, India TV, Krishcricket, Ministry of Tourism, NDTV, Rajshri Films, UTV, Zoom TV, etc. in India for providing India-specific content. More so, the company's no. 1 priority is to protect the intellectual property and copyrights of those concerned, it still upholds morality and dignity by uploading worthy and wholesome content[All]. The company said that it used digital has technology for copyright protection. This technology made it very difficult for others to copy and reload the same content. YouTube has been able to expand its market base through the social media sites such as Face book, tagged, twitter, Twoo, badoo and Skype, hence, increasing its revenue base as well as penetrating to other countries. It is also praised for protecting the intellectual rights of the artists, and as a result it is the most sought after site for teaching and entertainment. In terms of social networking it is the best worldwide. According to the company, YouTube too had developed a good following and India was one of the top 15 countries in terms of growth[Neo]. 2. Assess the company's localizing strategy. Do you recommend that YouTube "localize" when entering other countries? The Company's localizing strategy is such that it can be used tom access local content. On the other hand, it can also be accessed in different languages depending on one's preferences. This is awesome in that, it encourages and ensures that it is multi-national. This will widen the viewers’ customer base and still increase the revenue earned. 3. What are the problems YouTube is experiencing in India? A local music label in India had sued YouTube for hosting its produce. Orkut too had been at the receiving end of criticism from fundamentalist groups regarding its content. 4. What did you learn from this case? Learning has been made easier through Do-It-Yourself tutorials. People can earn some income online through sharing lots of content online and uploading videos that are intellectually copyrighted. Minors need to be monitored as they use this product. 5. In your opinion, what are the three most important things for a company when they expand their operations to another country? They need to adhere to the rules and regulations of the host country, the legalities and enforcement need to be followed to the latter. They need to conduct a SWOT Analysis before they expand their activities to the neighboring countries. They should try and localize the content to fit into the local cultures so that they may be able to satisfy a wider customer base[Glo]. Reference Glo: , (J.M, 2007), Neo: , (Botscher, 2011), All: , (Doz & Hamel, 1998), Read More