An Explanatory Analysis on Television YouTube Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Social media creates an entirely different platform in the media industry. YouTube is the leading user-driven video content provider in social media, and it expands the size of viewers. Conventional television stations entered YouTube to telecast programs live and by upload in the last decade. So many stakeholders, like content creators and advertisers, engaged in the YouTube industry for different benefits. Television stations of Sri Lanka entered the YouTube platform in 2011. More than twenty Sri Lankan television stations are competitively engaged in the YouTube industry to expand their fanbase and generate new income flows. Studies on the industry are helpful to industry partners and other parties of the society. We investigate the top six television channels of Sri Lanka to explore the viewers, subscribers, expected income, and content of the programs. According to the findings, TV Derana shows the highest performance in the YouTube industry of Sri Lanka. ITN Sri Lanka shows fast growth. There is a vast gap between current performances and available opportunities in the industry. We make some recommendations to the management of television stations to gain more from this platform creatively.