Is it just me,or is DU turning into Youtube?

[Girard442]

This discussion thread was locked by EarlG (a host of the The DU Lounge forum).

Seems like posts with only text and still graphics are becoming a minority. A story that would have been been a 60-second read now takes 5-10 minutes (after I find my earbuds and turn them on.)

[Lonestarblue]

1. I rarely bother with the video only posts.

I’d rather spend a couple of minutes reading an excerpt or a synopsis of an issue than 10 minutes trying to figure out the point of the post. I do the same with news sites. I guess I’m just old fashioned, but I prefer words.

[claudette]

4. 👍

Me too

[CrispyQ]

7. Totally agree! Video is too slow, even on 1.5 speed.

What I'd like to know is why we can't get AI transcriptions for ALL videos. ???

[eppur_se_muova]

8. Ditto. If I don't see a phrase like "short excerpt" or "edited for length" I assume it's 100% missable. nt

[bamagal62]

13. Same

Plus, most of the time I’m not in a place where playing a video is appropriate. So, I just scroll past it.

[Susan Calvin]

15. Yep.

It takes a lot to get me to look at a video. It just takes longer, and few are worth it. Some, like Jamie Raskin's rant, are, though.

[Randomthought]

19. Agree

100%

[ananda]

20. Me neither.

I also prefer to read.

[AnrothElf]

53. Same. It's vanishingly rare for me to watch a video on DU

[marble falls]

2. Nah, it's only you turning into youtube.

Best dad joke ever. Haven't gotten to use it since the kids escaped. Thank you for being my victim ... er ... straight man.

But I do agree with you about a lot of it. Like the podcast pundits who take five minutes to over explain a 30 second clip and use a click bait title full of capitalized words that do not deliver what they promised like "Putin CRUCIFIED by Ukraine forces" or "TFG absolutely DESTROYED by Congressperson"

There are only a very few exceptions, and only two DU posters who find a couple of good CAPITALIZED titles.

[claudette]

3. I hope not

I never open the you tube videos

[orleans]

22. why?

[claudette]

27. I prefer

to read and am not always in a place where I can open a video they’re too long too.

[captain queeg]

5. I'm with you. Like to read my news. I don't mind watching a video that shows events but not just talking heads

The ones that just show some anchor talking bother me. I know we are supposed to provide written description but often people don’t do that. I guess I’m old fashioned too. I kind of miss getting a morning newspaper and sitting down with a cup of coffee.

[TexasTowelie]

35. Actually, there is no requirement that a written description be provided with videos.

When a summary or a transcript is available then I include it with the video post as a courtesy. I also make an effort to avoid using all upper case characters in thread titles. However, I usually don't write summaries when it is clear from the title what the topic is. I also am reluctant to summarize videos providing legal analysis since I'm not a lawyer and I don't want to provide a misinterpretation.

[PortTack]

37. Your video posts are always welcome here TT!

[et tu]

40. and i like having a choice

i'm a visual person~

[PortTack]

45. I like having a choice too! And I appreciate those that make it possible

[et tu]

46. # me 2

[PortTack]

52. ☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️

[LakeArenal]

6. If the subject line is 3 minutes into a video clip,

The poster should state that.

I hate a juicy headline that takes four minutes to get to for a five second clip.

[Niagara]

9. I happen to like YouTube.

It's where I watch a variety of high quality YouTuber's and the videos that they create.


I generally watch YouTube to get away from politics due to the fact that I need downtime from it.


However, sometimes I will watch political videos if I'm in the mood, they are well thought out and I receive an excellent amount of information from these videos. Some of the political one that I watch are Glenn Kirschner, Meidas Touch, and Beau of the Fifth Column.


I avoid TikTok and X.


Everyone had different personal tastes and how they receive information. I'm a visual person; I like to see people sharing information. It's also easier for me to remember the content.

[malthaussen]

62. The three you mention are editorial in nature...

... I don't mind that. Beau is someone I watch often, he is never in it for sensationalism and clicks.

But so many YT videos are "BLOCKBUSTER BOMBSHELL NEWS, IT'S ALL OVER FOR..." whatever, and I cringe just reading the titles.

-- Mal

[Freethinker65]

10. Yep. I seldom watch YouTubers long winded analyses of media clips.

They make money by how long one watches their videos. Often what they are commenting on has been said and/or written about before, and much briefer.

In the following video clips, which I will describe in great detail before I show them to you (often more than once!), you will see...but before that, it wouldn't have been possible without my sponsor (insert sponsor here with link and limited time promo code)... and if you like this, don't forget to hit subscribe.

Sorry. Nope.

[Alpeduez21]

11. If I open a thread and it's only a video

I close it without even trying to see the content. If you’re too lazy too type at least a synapse I’m too little concerned with what you think is worth sharing

[PortTack]

38. Calling ppl lazy because they post a video..many times a worthy one...that's rather harsh

[Firestorm49]

12. I don't have the time to view 6000 videos a day on DU. I check out the pages many times daily, as there's a lot to read

but the videos are too time consuming - informative as they may be. That’s not to say that I don’t view some occasionally, but you can generally get the gist of things in written articles. Too many videos.

[Shermann]

14. Personally I hate the hit piece videos with all the preamble

I'd rather skip right to the actual shitty statement or whatever it is and decide for myself.

[Ocelot II]

16. At least the posts with videos are marked so we can skip them.

I don't bother to even open posts with videos. I want to read about what's going on, not watch some cable tv host or vlogger opine about it for 10 minutes.

[GAJMac]

18. I agree completely

I'm one of those (obviously rare) souls who really prefer to read text. I almost never watch television news, but I spend quite a bit of time reading the news on the internet.
Having to listen to someone I don't know preface a story with "their take" (which frequently is longer than the actual news item" just wastes my time.
Video posters, please. When you post a video, let us know how long it is, and if possible where the actual story begins.

[MiHale]

21. Agree with you...

It’s not only here, it seems like more and more news stories are videos across the board. And most of the time, maybe not so much here but the story is preceded by ads, ads and more ads.

Give me print articles, you can decide in a paragraph or two if you want to continue. You can also speed read, if need be, gleaning info a far faster pace than listening to some pundits. Leads to being better informed.

[hay rick]

23. TikTok.

More pets and animals, less discussion of issues.

[live love laugh]

54. That's your TikTok. I get lots of political content there.

Their algorithm feeds you more of what you like.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

24. I've been thinking the same thing lately. Between Latest Videos and Liberal Youtubers there's a lot to claw through.

Maybe it's a generational thing but I can consume text faster than video, most of which seems padded out something awful.
At least give me a synopsis so I can take an educated guess whether it's worth my time.

[Old Crank]

25. Ive stated that before

They take tooblong and with my hearing hard to understand. CC still means too much time spent to get the content, imho.

I avoid the video channel on DU. If you post a video other than there at least provide a synopsis, please.

[usaf-vet]

26. I totally agree. I won't even attempt to engage a OP if it is from a hand full of some posters. 10-15 minutes.....

..... with one or two video clips lasting less than one total minute of the actual subject of the OP. And exhausting talk about a 10-15 second clip. And the real aggravation is when the OP title tries to oversell the actual event.

I haven't ultimately decided if the new format contributes to some of these feelings. The old format seemed to me to have a more accessible, visible overview on one page.

Now, that might very well be that at 77, I do not like change. No matter what the venue.

I'm still here, and it is still my go-to page in the morning and last check at night before lights out. DU then email.

[masmdu]

28. And excessive cat/dog post

I come to du for politics first and foremost but dog/ cat post often seem to clutter up the home page... (I'm a dog person btw, just anti over sharing)

[liberalmuse]

29. Lots of people trying to promote their channels.

They’re mostly filler and unqualified opinion with maybe 5% (if that) real content and it annoys me so much that I’ve limited my time on DU.

[Arne]

30. After reading DU I go right to Youtube

sometimes back and forth.
For me those videos are an addiction.
Music, Science, Auto repair, Any repair.

[Silent Type]

31. I appreciate those who add a paragraph or two summarizing videos. Usually I am not in a place to listen, and

would much rather read a transcript, excerpt, etc.

[Croney]

32. Oh, I'd forgotten that I trashed the video forums a few months ago.

That's why it's so pleasant here.

[Biophilic]

33. On the other hand,

I spend a whole lot less time on DU than I used to because of all the videos. I just don’t have the patience I used to have. I’d rather watch the clouds or read a book. I think I’m way over talking heads.

[dlk]

34. It would be very helpful for those who don't have time/desire to watch endless videos

For posters add more descriptive verbiage to their posts. If the posters are too pressed for time, then they should understand where the rest of us live.

[Tom of Temecula]

36. I like to think the material is more important than the source

If the video doesn't do it I just move on.

[PortTack]

43. One could say the same for a rambling verbiage post

It takes a lot of time to make posts, video or written. Maybe DU you could be thoughtful enough to recognize that and say thank you to those who take the time to do most of the posting

Thank your posters video or written!

[NBachers]

39. By the time I finish a long-winded video, I often feel like I've been cheated out of my time, & the header was clickbait

I'll actually enjoy music videos if they fit into my musical interests.

[digsub]

41. I posted about DemocracyNow! video dumps a few days ago

A few DUers expressed gratitude for the "aggregation" achieved, but isn't wholesale duplication of DemocracyNow on DU just useful to DemocracyNow?

I come to DU for the community of individual thinkers and the PROCESSING of media from other channels. Sure an occasional deserving video can be a must-watch recommendation. Or something with an entertaining cat.

But if anyone wants DemocracyNow, just go directly to https://www.democracynow.org/.

No need to clog my eyeballs.

[BunnyMcGee]

42. Agree

I'll watch if the subject is what i'd want to watch and know more about, or the cute animal shorts.

[snowybirdie]

44. I've noticed

certain posters always post videos, so I've put them on full ignore. I know I might miss something important or interesting, but videos annoy me too much.

[digsub]

48. Indeed, posters who always link videos without any thoughtfulness are assuredly

promoting something and should be in violation of some DU code of conduct. IMHO.

[Fla Dem]

47. So many videos, every Tom, Diane and Harry does them. But whatever, I just don't watch them.

[RainCaster]

49. Hooray! this tells me we are speaking to a younger generation

I don't like to get my news this way, I like to see words, but I'm old school. Millennials & GenZ loves videos- YouTube/TikTok reaches them. So I embrace it, even though I prefer other media.

[Charlie Chapulin]

50. DUtube?

I know what you mean. For the most part, I prefer to read articles. I generally skip links if they are videos.

[live love laugh]

51. The video hosts get $$ for each viewing. Too many videos are worthless clickbait.

I refrain from watching because of the excessive for-profit intent of too many.

[katmondoo]

55. I am not alone in how I feel

I skip video's

[True Dough]

56. I'm just here for

the complaints!

[IcyPeas]

57. And get off my lawn

This IS the lounge.





(Hope no one object to emojis)

[IbogaProject]

58. Yes one of the sections is mostly videos

Most have one paragraph, some have nothing but a title. I much prefer reading, and often get by w the few paragraph summaries in here. Video is so weak at transmitting information it is worse for learning than just thinking about stuff you've already read, heard or thought experimints.

[ColinC]

59. It's basically YouTube and liberal Facebook

[PatrickforB]

60. Yeah, honestly, I don't watch most of the videos. I'm not quite ready to advocate getting rid of them, but

I like a good article I can get my teeth into.

[malthaussen]

61. It's certainly not just you, and it is also not just DU.

I like text. I do not like some generic talking head rambling on with a script on the level of sixth-grade literature. If I wanna hear somebody read something, I'll do it out loud myself.

-- Mal

[2naSalit]

63. I like the videos...

I don't have teevee and rely on DU for much of the news links and videos, especially if I missed the livestream.

I like the late night comedy vids as well as many of the animal and other stuff videos. I don't watch them all but I am a slow reader with dyslexia so videos actually save me time and provide visuals in many of them that I would bot see otherwise.

I also don't mind those with just a talking head because some are of inestimable value to me.

I refuse to open xitter video links, though. I'll wait until the content shows up on a different platform. Those are the post that annoy me, the ones that are just a xitter link with no text. If it's an OP with enough text, I'll REC it but not if it's just the link. Fuck it, I won't open a xitter link.

If you don't like the videos, don't open those OPs.

[EarlG]

64. There are lots of videos on DU because apparently that's what people like to post at the moment

Some solutions if you don't like videos:

1) Trash the "Liberal YouTubers" and "Cable News Clips" forums.

2) If you are a Star Member, make use of the YouTube video indicator and don't click on any thread titles that have a little red square next to them.

3) Put a few DU members who post a lot of videos on Ignore.

4) Post more threads that don't have videos in them.

While I understand that many of you don't like videos, please understand that many other people do -- that's why they post them and watch them. The original DU4 homepage at launch last year didn't have any videos on it and we eventually had to fix that because we had so many people asking us to put them back.

My recommendation is to use the tools we provide to manage what you see on an individual basis. I don't think the best way to approach this is to try to get other DUers to stop posting the information that they want to post. If you want to see more written pieces on DU -- which plenty of people apparently do -- just post them!

Thank you for the comments, but I'm going to lock this now.