The times, they are a changin', and you can definitely see that in the way the people have begun changing their entertainment habits.
Not that long ago, people would flip on the television and find one of the many channels on their cable network to tune into. Hilariously, while there were hundreds to choose from, most people typically used three at most. The chord cutting began as streaming networks took over, but now even Netflix, Hulu, and studio platforms like Paramount are all bowing to one singular platform.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, YouTube is celebrating its 20th anniversary and with it, some "jaw-dropping stats," and to be sure, they are pretty incredible:
On its 20th anniversary, YouTube now says that since Karim’s video was posted, more than 20 trillion videos have been uploaded (and no, that isn’t a typo).
The video behemoth dropped a number of jaw-dropping stats Wednesday, along with significant updates to its TV experience, which has become a strategic priority for the platform, all connected to its anniversary.
YouTube says that as of March 2025, more than 20 million videos are uploaded every single day, and that in 2024 users posted more than 100 million comments on videos, on average, every day.
Another interesting fact was dropped in February by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, who stated that the number one way people are viewing YouTube is on the televisions in their living room, even surpassing mobile devices, at least here in the United States.
YouTube does have YouTubeTV, which does mimic the old Cable style, but Mohan pointed out that much of what's being watched is actually peer-to-peer creations like videos and shorts:
It is, as Mohan writes in his annual letter from the CEO, an indication that “YouTube is the new television.”
“But the ‘new’ television doesn’t look like the ‘old’ television,” Mohan writes. “It’s interactive and includes things like Shorts (yes, people watch them on TVs), podcasts, and live streams, right alongside the sports, sitcoms and talk shows people already love.”
If you're a major studio, this is troubling news, because it means that more and more people aren't tuning in to watch a television show with professional actors, crews, and budgets, but normal people making normal content. It's a fascinating turn, because it means that various channels from people just like you and me can release a video and get far more interest drawn to it than a studio production.
What's more, I can confirm this is true.
I have subscriptions to various streaming platforms, but I find myself more drawn to watching YouTube on my television to see what some of my favorite creators are doing. I get far more enjoyment watching new, shorter videos than a 30-minute to hour-long episode of a professionally made television show.
The reasons for this are likely many, but taking from my own experience, I enjoy the creations and content from these people more. I feel as if the creativity is far greater from just normal people on YouTube than anything coming from major studios. I can watch anything from some of the most creative and striking horror content, art creation, commentary, and comedy at the click of a button that steps outside the "safe" boundaries major studios put on themselves.
I even call the platform home for my own content.
Overall, I think this is a healthy thing for society. Major studios often focus on diversity and inclusion in a shallow sense, but on YouTube, you see diversity and inclusion where it really counts, which is in the heart and mind. To be sure, YouTube had some very real issues with censoring conservative voices in the past, and even blocking facts and commentary during the pandemic, but I can attest that it's gotten much better.
YouTube's ability to make people discoverable is also fantastic, meaning that if you make content with some kind of quality to it, you're likely going to be seen. Many other platforms, including X and even Rumble, don't sport this to the extent that YouTube does. So it's no wonder so many creators flock to it.
Until something innovative comes along, I don't see how YouTube is dethroned for years to come. Given, technology changes fast, especially in these times, but despite a mess of changes that have happened just over the past decade, YouTube maintains its position as the king of platforms.
