ABSTRACT
The YouTuber PewDiePie is one of the most successful producers of User Generated Content (UGC) online. The chapter analyses an example of a letsplay video, a form of content unique to the digital world, which combines game footage and the commentary of the player. This illustrates the balance between professional and UGC content on platforms like YouTube. Much of the audience experience is provided by the game footage which uses digital animation techniques to create a “cinematic” experience, integrating stories with interactive game challenges. The legitimacy of much UGC online is contested, since it often involves the broadest interpretation of “fair use” of copyright content produced by media organisations. The success of this model allows digital giants like Google, YouTube and Facebook to build global online advertising businesses whilst providing the media content producers with a fraction of the income they would receive from licensing their content to traditional distributors.
