Argument paper

COLWRIT 9C: Academic Writing for Multilingual Students

Elodie Dinkelberg
11/14/2016
2016 YouTube Election
Traditionally, political advertisements and discussion were the domain of newspapers, TV and radio.
In 2008, America witnessed its first YouTube election, where each candidate had a YouTube
channel, and their staffs actively used YouTube to reach voters (Harwell, 2016). Now, during the 2016
presidential elections, YouTube plays a bigger role in the political conversation than ever. Offering
countless ways for candidates to reach voters, and for voters to reach candidates and like-minded
people, YouTube is engaging people in politics in new ways. Especially for young people - a
demographic that, throughout history, has been a hard to reach audience when it comes to politics
this platform is likely to be especially meaningful as a place to be involved with politics.
Those who still think that YouTube only attracts audiences who are looking for silly and
entertaining videos are clearly mistaken. YouTube is now a place where politics and news are widely
discussed (Grove, 2008). In September, YouTube released survey results stating that people watched
110 million hours of presidential candidate- and issue-related content since primary candidates started
announcing they were running for president in 2016. Since the July convention, more than 200.000
election-related videos had been uploaded to YouTube. Speeches and press conferences were the most
popular type of videos watched (68%), topping news (57%), debates (53%) and personal stories or
behind-the-scenes looks (51%) (Hamedy, 2016).
Statistics show that YouTube is beating more traditional news outlets, like TV, in views and
watch hours. In general, YouTube reaches more 18 to 49-year-olds in America than any U.S. cable
network, according to Googles chief business officer, Omid Kordestani (Ligato, 2015). A similar
trend is seen when looking at election-related content. While 63 million people tuned in to a TV
channel to watch the second debate between Hillary Clinton and Donal Trump, debate content on
YouTube reached 124 million views (Lapowsky, 2016).
Of course, presidential candidates and their campaigns are not unaware of the growing
influence of YouTube. As early as the 2008 presidential elections, when YouTube was just 3 years old,

the online platform was used by presidential candidates and their staff to upload thousands of videos,
which were viewed tens of millions of times (Grove, 2008). Fast forward to the 2016 elections, and
one sees an even bigger shift from traditional news outlets to online platforms like YouTube. During
this years election, the candidates have spent nearly 300 million dollars on online ads, which is more
than they will spend on newspaper and radio ads combined (Harwell, 2016). Although TV ads make
up most of the advertising budget, candidates are becoming increasingly aware of the potential
benefits that advertising on YouTube has to offer.
Contrary to what the previous information might imply, the political conversation on YouTube
is not a one-way street going from candidate to viewer. In 2008, Steve Grove - news and political
director at YouTube- wrote an article for niemanresports.org, entitled YouTube: The Flattening of
Politics (Grove, 2008). Here, he discussed how YouTube was changing the way that politics and
its coverage - is happening. According to him, one of the most exciting and different things about
YouTube is that viewers themselves are able to create and spread their own political content. These
[videos] range from "gotcha" videos theyve taken at campaign rallies to questions for the candidates,
from homemade political commercials to video mash-ups of mainstream media coverage, said Grove.
This relatively uncensored distribution of ideas and opinions lends itself to new ways for voters to
connect to candidates. The political conversation becomes one that is very open and accessible, where
every party involved speaks to each other on the same level in an unfiltered, direct manner (Grove,
2008).
What Grove picked up on in 2008 is still seen on YouTube today, if not in a far greater sense.
During the 2016 elections, YouTube itself has played a big role in promoting a greater participation of
its active users in the election. Efforts included the livestreaming of debates, sending famous
YouTubers to make videos at conventions, and publishing their latest #voteIRL initiative. Brandon
Feldman, a YouTube News and Politics exec, says "Weve been working on various election efforts the
last couple of cycles, but this year weve seen a lot of the pieces come together and the YouTube
creator community is louder, more passionate and more influential than its ever been before." From
this you can tell that what Grove described is still happening today. YouTube creators distribute
political content, and that content influences the political discussion.

However, some differences can be noted in what Grove described and what has been
happening in the last year. When examining the YouTube content of today, one might suggest that
there is now a greater variety in the kind of content being spread by YouTubers than in 2008. Some
YouTubers discuss political issues and offer their opinions, declaring their support for the candidate
they most agree with; others give practical information around the registration and voting process. And
yet others go to rallies of candidates and interview people there, often making very for comical
scenarios. Some videos are meant to be serious and informing, others are meant to be funny and
entertaining. Another difference that can be noted, is that much of this content is not meant to reach
candidates or news outlets. YouTubers mostly make videos aimed at their own viewer base. They offer
new insights or controversial standpoints for their viewers and other YouTubers to discuss and react to.
In other words, the content that is being created mainly serves the goal of adding to an open discussion
among voters themselves.
The shift in the role of online platforms like YouTube in politics can be seen as especially
meaningful for young people. This is an electorate that, historically, is not engaged in politics as much
as older cohorts, and is therefore less likely to vote. This is also an age group that spends most of their
time online, and is not reached through traditional news outlets (Hamedy, 2016). During this election,
YouTube realized its potential to engage young voters by starting the #voteIRL initiative. Some of
their methods of action were a video where famous YouTubers encourage their viewers to vote, a
series of 1 minute, 34 second videos (studies show that this is the amount of time required to register
to vote), and voter registration resources available on the website (Hamedy, 2016). The rationale
behind these efforts echo Groves 2008 statements. "We looked at the election through a lens of how
do we drive more impact in a way that we think resonates most with YouTube community," Feldman
said. "The answer was by making it more of a two-way conversation between the YouTube community
and the political process." Not only does YouTube offer a platform that is more engaging, they also
offer information in a way that is more likely to resonate with young people. Karen North, professor of
digital social media at USCs Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, said: "You have
to reach out to young people where they are. And where are young people? They are at home watching

videos, seeking out their interests and seeking out news in a way thats entertaining rather than dry and
factual."
Further initiatives to engage young voters in this election came from YouTubers themselves.
Take Casey Neistat, for example, who has more than 5.6 million subscribers on YouTube. On the 11th
of October, he posted a 3 minute video titled who i'm voting for president (Neistat, 2016). In his
video, he is calling out all popular YouTubers, and asks them to announce who they are voting for,
despite taking into consideration the fact that those kinds of videos will not gain them subscribers or
popularity. The top 20 YouTubers reach over a billion views every single week. We have the power to
activate an electorate, a demographic, that isnt typically very active. That is young people. He also
asks viewers to call out famous YouTubers who do not discuss politics and refuse to say who they are
voting for. Many big YouTubers responded to this video by doing just as he asked - by stating who
they are voting for and why. He also received some backlash, for example from Philip DeFranco, who
made a video in response to Caseys and explains why he does not agree with some of his points. And
so the discussion around politics continues.
The efforts to engage young voters described here might in part explain the increased youth
voter turnout in the 2016 elections, compared to 2012. This year, 50% of young people (18-29 years)
voted, compared to 45% in 2012 (CIRCLE, 2016).
Considering all that is mentioned above, it is highly doubtful that the new ways in which
YouTube engages voters did not have at least some impact on the 2016 elections. With its accessible
and unfiltered character, YouTube has increasingly become the place where voters, candidates and
news outlets come together in a one-level conversation around politics. Also, because young people
are big users of the platform, and because of its entertaining rather than dry and factual- character,
YouTube is the perfect place to get young people more engaged in politics. This might be one
contributing factor to the increase in youth voter outcome. Undoubtedly online platforms like YouTube
will continue to show a growing trend in their contribution to voter engagement, especially for young
people.
References

CIRCLE. (2016). An Estimated 24 Million Young People Voted in 2016 Election [Article]. Retrieved
from http://civicyouth.org/an-estimated-24-million-young-people-vote-in-2016-election/
Grove, S. (2008). YouTube: The Flattening of Politics [Article]. Retrieved from
http://niemanreports.org/articles/youtube-the-flattening-of-politics/
Hamedy, S. (2016). Voters get election news from YouTube in ways you wouldn't expect [Article].
Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2016/09/26/youtube-creators-election2016/#Wz0CjXYurOqa
Harwell, D. (2016). How YouTube is shaping the 2016 presidential election [Article]. Retrieved from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/03/25/inside-youtubes-explosivetransformation-of-american-politics/
Lapowsky, I. (2016). YouTube Debate Viewership Proves the Power of Digital [Article]. Retrieved
from https://www.wired.com/2016/10/youtube-crushed-tv-total-debate-viewership/
Ligato, L. (2015). YouTube Is Crushing Cable TV, According To Google [Article]. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/youtube-vs-cable_us_55acf44fe4b0d2ded39f5370
Neistat, C. (2016). who i'm voting for president [YouTube video]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjS6OdY2dBQ

Elodie Dinkelberg
11/14/2016

Target Grammar Application Sheet (TGAS)

Filling out this sheet will help make visible your application of the target grammar for this
assignment. For each item, write three examples from your paper that show how you
applied the target grammar. Include this sheet with your final draft.

Assignment name: Argument Essay #1

Target Grammar: Hedging, Collocations for vocabulary from the course reader.

Examples

Explanation/ details

Hedging- write four phrases in which you used a

hedging strategy from class.

Contrary to what the previous information

might imply, the political conversation on
YouTube is not a one-way street going from
candidate to viewer.

I used might, because not everyone

will interpret the previous information
in that exact way.

() candidates are becoming increasingly aware of

the potential benefits that advertising on YouTube has
to offer
Considering all that is mentioned above, it would be
unthinkable that the new ways in which YouTube
engages voters did not have at least some impact on
the 2016 elections.

I used potential, because the

benefits will not always be the same
and will not be present in every
situation.
I used at least some, because it is
too strong of a claim to say that
YouTube definitely had a big impact
on the elections.

The shift in the role of online platforms like YouTube

in politics can be seen as especially meaningful for
young people.

I used can be seen, because other

people might see this differently and
have different opinions on the matter.

Collocations- write two vocabulary

word/collocation pairs from each vocabulary
chapter. In other words, two from the list on
page 137 and two from the list on page 155.

Undoubtedly online platforms like YouTube will

continue to show a growing trend in their contribution
to voter engagement, especially for young people.
() YouTube itself has played a big role in
promoting a greater participation of its active users
in the election.
In general, YouTube reaches more 18 to 49-year-olds
in America than any U.S. cable network, according to
Googles chief business officer, Omid Kordestani.

This might be one contributing factor to the increase

in youth voter outcome.
() it is highly doubtful that the new ways in which
YouTube engages voters did not have at least some
impact on the 2016 elections.