As Cartoon Brew has pointed out, we are seeing a raft of new YouTube channels devoted to animation being launched or announced in recent months. However the internet is a fast-moving and unforgiving place. New channels can have a tough time gaining an audience and keeping it. So with that in mind, which YouTube channel will succeed?
First though, it’s important to note that there are two different kinds of channels; namely those that produce their own content, and those that acquire/request content from outside or independent sources.
The ones mentioned in the Brew article are mostly the latter. In other words, the channel runners solicit others to create the content for them to “broadcast”. The line of thinking seems to be that the runners can cherry-pick the best content and hence ensure an acceptable level of quality.
What is interesting though, it that it is the former kind of channel, the one where all the content is produced by the channel owner, that have garnered the most views. It is, of course, a lot harder to become successful with just your own content. However, independent animators (suck as PES) have carved out quite a large audience for themselves from just their own, personal, account.
All in all, it’s a balance between risk and reward and whether you are a creator or not.
So which one will survive?
Before I say, just keep in mind that the internet video landscape is much like the wild west, with many rules still being written and content producers coming and going all the time.
Based on their track record, I would say that Frederator have the best chances with their latest channel, Cartoon Hangover. The reason I say so is that this is not their first channel. That was Channel Frederator, which has been around for about 7 years or so. Naturally, the studio has learned a lot from this experience and are putting it to good use.
The other reason? Well, Fred Seibert has proven that he can pick the winners when it come to TV shows, so it would be quite surprising if he can’t translate that into the online world too. It also helps that Cartoon Hangover is geared more towards actual content over silly videos and is aiming for an older audience with more sophisticated tastes; both areas which have yet to see much quality content.
Internet TV is in the same position internet radio was a decade ago. Animated internet tv is no different. I willsay most of these channels will succeed as now is the time to make mistakes. The industry is still young, and there is little or no finacial risk from failure. The few pioneers now will learn their trade if they haven’t already. Their past relationships with traditional media will determine their repsective niches, but otherwise be a none factor. In a few years, things may be different, but for now if you feel the need to be in it, join!
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Great channels in did. I’m allway seaching for new youtube animation channels and I spot a recently born channel called Almost Best Friends. You can also check this guys out at https://www.youtube.com/user/almostbestfriends