As global populace remains under lock down, people are increasingly turning to online video platforms such as Youtube, for regular news updates. And now, we finally have some numbers, via world’s largest video platform, to understand the growth in viewership. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Youtube Chief People Office Neal Mohan said that millions are turning to the platform to gather information and news about coronavirus. This has lead to a 75% growth in news viewership compared to same time last year.
The Alphabet Inc owned company has seen an a huge uprise in demand in last few months, with people trying to stay updated on the virus and its effects. Youtube reached 2 billion viewers a month and continues to see rapid growth in views, as streaming services continue to grow in terms of active user count.
Part of this is also due to the platform’s concerted efforts to provide relevant content to viewers. Youtube began an information panel on videos mentioning the virus, linking them to health agencies around the world. These videos have been viewed more than 10 billion times, according to Mohan. Youtube has also brought forth a a tab on its homepage that features news specifically related to the COVID 19.
But not all of this is turning revenues for the company. Even with the increased viewership, world’s biggest online video platform reported a decline in ad revenues. With lockdowns in place and businesses shut, most companies globally are facing budget cuts. This has lead to a sizeable decrease in online advertising spend, a trend that is being mirrored at Youtube as well.
Youtube has also taken several steps to contain the spread of misinformation, taking down several thousand videos that preached wrongful facts about the virus and its spread. The company recently brought forth a policy to bring down, or limit visibility of content that gave heed to a conspiracy theory linking coronavirus to 5G internet. The company is also removing content related to ‘#filmyourhospital’ — a social-media misinformation campaign designed to suggest the virus is a hoax.
Youtube also brought in measures to reduce streaming bitrate, as pressure on the existing telecom and internet infrastructure continues to grow. Android and iOS apps for the platform have set 480p as the limit for content viewing. Other streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have taken similar measures.
