Product Review

YouTube is one of the most well-known and widely discussed sites ofparticipatory media in the contemporary online environment, and itis the first genuinely mass-popular platform for user-createdvideo. In this timely and comprehensive introduction to how YouTubeis being used and why it matters, Burgess and Green discuss theways that it relates to wider transformations in culture, societyand the economy.
The book critically examines the public debates surrounding thesite, demonstrating how it is central to struggles for authorityand control in the new media environment. Drawing on a range oftheoretical sources and empirical research, the authors discuss howYouTube is being used by the media industries, by audiences andamateur producers, and by particular communities of interest, andthe ways in which these uses challenge existing ideas aboutcultural ‘production’ and ‘consumption’.
Rich with both concrete examples and featuring speciallycommissioned chapters by Henry Jenkins and John Hartley, the bookis essential reading for anyone interested in the contemporary andfuture implications of online media. It will be particularlyvaluable for students and scholars in media, communication andcultural studies.