Course:LIBR559A/Johnston, J. (2017)

Citation

Johnston, J. (2017). Subscribing to sex edutainment: Sex education, online video, and the YouTube star. Television & New Media, 18(1), 76-92. doi:10.1177/1527476416644977

Annotation

The author’s main argument is that online sex educators can take advantage of established media practices such as branding and celebrity culture to increase their influence and reach among their audiences. Videos have been a resource for sex education in the classroom for years, making YouTube a logical evolution. They provide supporting evidence by doing a case study on the viewership statistics for two sex education channels, "Sex+" by Laci Green, and "Sexplanations" by Lindsey Doe.

The author introduces the concept of a microcelebrity as an adaptation of a concept from traditional media to new media, and defines a microcelebrity as “internet users who gain a cult or mainstream following online.” (p. 77). They also discuss the idea of parasocial relationships as a factor that leads microcelebrities to become such. In this context, a parasocial relationship is one where the viewers feel like they are connected to the content creators, but the content creators do not (or cannot) reciprocate the sentiment. Parasocial relationships develop because of how the content creators present themselves and parts of their lives that would be otherwise inaccessible (for example, recording a video from one’s home or private space).

The author also mentions how politics and technology have been intertwined before, particularly within the context of instructional video. Specifically they discuss the role of sex education films during World War Two and beyond using a “doctor” as an expert. In this way, they can dictate societal norms regarding sex and sexuality; by delivering the message from an “expert” it makes such dictations improper to question – an appeal to authority.

The article discusses what makes specific YouTube educational channels effective in providing educational content to their viewership. This kind of analysis can aid librarians looking to find and distribute effective online resources, as well as potentially aid library patrons who are looking for information on how to create their own online content effectively, which in turn can help reframe a library's role as passive knowledge repositories into a more active role as partner in education efforts.

Areas / Topics / Keywords

YouTube, celebrity, education, entertainment, audience, new media, sexuality Page Author: Peter Musser