Mobile Videography on YouTube and the Significance of the Marginalised Creator

Abstract

This research aims to identify the variables that contribute to the differential viewership of mobile-phone videos on YouTube. To achieve this, a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) is employed to examine the correlations among various variables in a randomly selected video database. The findings of the analysis reveal several significant and culturally insightful associations. Notably, subgenres such as melodrama (soap-operas or telenovelas), action, and comedy emerge as distinctive categories, irrespective of the total number of views. Comedies and action videos created by male filmmakers receive higher viewership. Similarly, melodramas created by female filmmakers, particularly those hailing from marginalized and rural backgrounds, hold greater statistical significance. These findings highlight the relevance of gender and social context in shaping viewer preferences and challenge the conventions of mainstream media in the respective countries of origin.