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From snowflakes to surfactants: meet the YouTube Space Lab regional winners
At the end of January, we invited you to choose your favorite YouTube Space Lab experiment ideas from sixty finalist teams, and today we have our winners! More than 100,000 of you cast your votes that combined with the scores from our panel of judges to decide the regional winners for the final stage of the competition. Find out who won below and you can meet them all on the Space Lab Channel.
14 - 16 year old regional winning teams
- Asia Pacific region: Is space too cold for life to exist? by Patrick Zeng & Derek Chan from New Zealand
- Europe, Middle East and Africa region: Could weightless liquids be the key to better gadgets? by Laura Calvo & María Vilas from Spain
- The Americas region: Could alien superbugs cure disease on Earth? by Dorothy Chen & Sara Ma from U.S.A.
- Asia Pacific region: Could liquid magnets take us deeper into space? by Sachin Kukke from India
- Europe, Middle East and Africa region: Can you teach an old spider new tricks? by Amr Mohamed from Egypt
- The Americas region: Could a snowflake unlock the mysteries of the universe? by Emerald Bresnahan from U.S.A
Space Lab invited budding scientists to submit a YouTube video describing an idea for an experiment that could be carried out aboard the ISS. The channel, which serves as a launch pad for discovering great space and science videos on YouTube, has received more than 50 million views worldwide throughout the course of the competition. This week we’re uploading interviews with the winners in their hometowns, so subscribe to the channel to keep up to date with all the latest from here on Earth!
Zahaan Bharmal, YouTube Space Lab lead, recently watched the “ESA Education (English)” playlist.
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Christchurch Earthquake — One Year Later: live streaming the memorial service on YouTube
Cross posted from the Google New Zealand Blog.
On the one year anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake, the New Zealand Herald is providing full coverage of the city’s memorial services on YouTube, commemorating the lives that were lost and those who are still affected by the tragedy. The live-stream of the memorial services starts today on NZ Herald’s YouTube channel.
On February 22, 2011, Christchurch was rocked by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, killing 185 people and devastating much of the historic city centre. The state broadcaster’s raw coverage of the immediate aftermath was one of the most-viewed videos on YouTube on that day, as millions of people around the world stopped to watch the tragedy unfold.
Christchurch, is New Zealand’s second-largest city, located on the South Island. The idyllic town is known for its friendly people, abundant gardens, and historic stone buildings. And its convenient location makes an easy gateway to mountains, beaches — and Hobbits.
Quakes have continued in Christchurch over the last year. Despite this hardship, we remain inspired by the great resilience of the city’s residents, who have worked hard toward rebuilding their hometown and keeping alive the memory of the tragedy.
Richard North, a YouTuber from Christchurch, recently watched "John Key on Christchurch anniversary."
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And the YouTube Ad Blitz winners are...
While America’s feelings were divided on the outcome of the game, there’s one aspect of Super Bowl Sunday that crosses team loyalties and brings us together — the commercials. This year’s commercials had something for everyone, from cute dogs to talking babies to Adriana Lima. After a week of intense competition in the YouTube Ad Blitz contest, the votes are in and you voted M&M’S “Just My Shell” commercial as your favorite ad of the Super Bowl!
Rounding out the top five commercials of the big game are spots from Chrysler Group, Bud Light, Chevy Silverado and Doritos:
2. Chrysler Group “Halftime in America”
3. Bud Light “Rescue Dog”
4. Chevy Silverado “2012”
5. Doritos “Man's Best Friend”
Give me the stats!
In its fifth year running, YouTube Ad Blitz has already surpassed previous years with 133M views from fans worldwide, up 43 percent from last year (as of Sunday, 2/12)...and still counting! In fact, during game time roughly 6 percent of all U.S. YouTube traffic came from people watching Super Bowl commercials on Ad Blitz.
The days that saw the highest volume of views were Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, making up 82 percent of total views received over the week. And it wasn’t just fans in the states seeking out the commercials — nearly 18 percent of all views came from outside of the U.S. Other interesting stats include:
- The most popular ads drove the majority of views - 65 percent of video views came from the top ten commercials.
- Google searches related to [Super Bowl commercials] peaked on Monday, but continued through the rest of the week.
- More than 32 percent of all mobile votes occurred on Tablet devices, our first year running Ad Blitz on a tablet-optimized channel.
Mike Yapp, director, YouTube Creative Content, recently watched “The Jeremy Lin Show at MSG!”
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Whitney Houston tributes, Athens burns, Syria protests continue - News of the Week
Everyday on the CitizenTube channel (and @CitizenTube on Twitter), along with our curation partners @storyful, we look at how the top news stories are covered on YouTube. Each week we post a weekly recap of the top news stories of the week, as seen through the lens of both citizen-reported footage and professional news coverage.- We paid tribute to the late Whitney Houston by compiling some of her all time classic performances.
- We observed Syrian towns such as Daraa, Homs and Hama receive heavy bombardment as fighting between military forces and rebels continued.
- We were saddened to hear of the death of New York Times Foreign Correspondent Anthony Shadid, who died this week while working in Syria.
- We saw parts of Athens burn as protests over austerity measures in Greece turned violent.
- We followed Mitt Romney as he got his campaign back on track by winning both the CPAC straw poll and the Maine caucuses.
- We witnessed anger in Israel as two of the country's envoys in India and Turkey were attacked with bombs.
- We viewed mourning in Honduras after a large fire claimed the lives of hundreds of inmates in a prison there.
- We saw North Korea hold extravagant celebrations to celebrate the 70th birthday of their late leader Kim Jong-il.
- We watched Bahrain police use tear gas to disperse large crowds marching towards a historic landmark.
- We monitored the progress of Madagascar-bound Cyclone Giovanni with the help of a schoolboy reporter named John.
- Finally, we gave into 'Linsanity' as NBA star Jeremy Lin's popularity exploded worldwide after he hit a last-second 3-pointer to win a game for the New York Knicks.
Come back next week to see the news unfold on YouTube.Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched "Kobe Bryant, meet Jeremy Lin -- Rough Cuts".
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A ‘Next’ step for YouTube nonprofits
Last year we launched YouTube NextUp to accelerate the growth of the next big YouTube stars. Then in October, we announced YouTube Next Chef and YouTube Next Trainer to turbocharge up-and-coming cooking and fitness channels by great YouTube video creators. We’re excited to share the latest addition to the Next Creator family of programs: YouTube Next Cause for nonprofits.
YouTube Next Cause is designed to help organizations that are already changing the world better use online video to drive action. At a one-day summit in San Francisco on April 2, selected participants will get access to everything from training in YouTube fundamentals, to promotion and community engagement tips, to one-on-one consulting sessions to grow their YouTube presence.
We’ve always sought to make YouTube a platform for nonprofits to broadcast their messages. And we’ve seen amazing things happen when the YouTube community comes together in support of great causes. With 4 billion views a day, we want to make sure nonprofits have the tools they need to reach the global audience on YouTube and turn video views into donations, volunteerism and awareness.
Applications for YouTube Next Cause are due on February 27, 2012 at 11:59PM PT, and the selected nonprofits will be announced on March 5. This program is open to organizations that are part of the YouTube Nonprofit Program (full eligibility requirements). You can apply online at: http://goo.gl/ODbI6.
Check out what nonprofits are doing on YouTube at youtube.com/nonprofits. And tune in around March 5 to learn more about some of the great nonprofit organizations chosen and what they’re doing to change the world!
Hunter Walk, director of product management, recently watched “Using YouTube with a Purpose - Helping Kids in Bangladesh.”
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Get More Into: Big Day Out and the Australian music scene
While those in the Northern hemisphere hit the slopes (Shaun White, anyone?) and anxiously await the first signs of spring, the Australian summer is all about the outdoors. Music lovers are flocking to the land down under where summer festival season is alive and rocking, and even more are coming to YouTube to catch all the sights and sounds.
During the Australian Recording Industry Association awards, we asked a few of your favorite Aussie musicians what YouTube videos get them pumped up. We rang in the new year with a live streamed sustainable arts & music festival. And here, in the heart of summer 2012, we asked three of your favourite musicians in town for Big Day Out how they get into music in YouTube
The Vaccines: all from different backgrounds & tastes and less than a year old as a band, see what live gigs helped inspire the boys from West London to record their first album in just under a month late last year:
The Living End: with six albums, each one a milestone, watch legendary Aussie rockers get into their favorite 80s anthems, from big wigs to big gigs:
Foster The People: From relative obscurity to one of the most talked about bands on the globe (to the tune of more than 63 million views on YouTube!) watch what mischievious musicians have inspired these pumped-up kicks through sold-out shows all across Australia:
So if you’re on a ski lift, by a fire, or just waiting around till the snow thaws...we hope you can enjoy a taste of the Aussie music summer, right here on YouTube.
Ernesto Soriano III, YouTube Australia, recently watched “The Vaccines: Wetsuit instagram video.”
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YouTube Release Notes: More ways to communicate
You keep adding and watching more videos, so we’re working to keep adding more ways for you to watch, share and enjoy the channels and videos on YouTube. This week in Release Notes we’ve got a new way to promote your Google+ profile on YouTube, more options in the Annotations Editor, posting to your Channel Feed and more.
Google+ profile on YouTube channel
Want to share your Google+ profile or Google+ Page on your YouTube channel? We’ve added a feature to let you promote your presence on G+. We’re looking for other ways to bring the benefits of Google+ to your YouTube channel, so as always please give us your feedback!
Post videos, playlists to your own feed
You can now share videos and playlists in your Channel Feed by posting a Channel Bulletin. When you’re on your Feed tab you’ll see a box “Post to Feed,” where you can enter a comment and add a link to share a video or a playlist. When you’ve posted the bulletin, it will show up in your Channel Feed with your comment below the video. Viewers who are subscribed to your channel will be notified when you post to your feed in their homepage feed.
Homepage and Channel Feeds
After experiments and lots of your feedback, we’re releasing an update to how events are displayed in the feed. The update focuses on three main changes: (1) the video title is more prominent for upload and sharing events, (2) aggregated events now feature a “+more” button which will bring more attention to the event than the previously smaller notification and (3) adding videos to a playlist has a new cleaner styling.
Before: After:
Annotations
Customizing your videos is easier with our new annotations features. We’ve been adding more options to the Annotations Editor like a new annotation type, a full color palette and a new timeline. We’ve also added annotation styles, which lets you choose a templated design to apply to your videos. You can quickly pick a design for your annotation and apply it your video. Start using these today in the Editor by clicking the arrow next to any upload in the Video Manager.
The YouTube Team recently watched, “KevJumba vs. NY Yankee Nick Swisher Ping Pong FaceOFF.”
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More sports channels kick off on YouTube
Hot on the heels of the launch of four new action sports channels we’ve added more hard-hitting channels for all the YouTube sports fanatics out there. See the latest controversy in the world of soccer, watch insider interviews with basketball pros, or get smart with in-depth sports documentaries and analysis.
- Bleacher Report: From Linsanity to Tebowing, Bleacher Report has your sports fix covered. Bleacher Report's channel showcases the fun and entertaining side of sports with their flagship daily show BR5, provides a full throttle fill of football with NFL Draft 365 and their college football recruiting show Full Ride. The documentary series Why We Watch uncovers the great stories that dot the sports landscape. With in-depth opinion and analysis, top athlete and celeb appearances and much more, Bleacher Report will get you a front row seat for the latest in sports.
- KickTV: Kick is where soccer fanatics -- football for all you global diehards -- can get their regular dose of “the beautiful game”. Every day, Kick’s roster of international stars and pundits debate the hot-button topics on The Mixer. On The Whip, Kick’s experts highlight the good, the bad, and the ugly from around YouTube’s football world. History buffs can dip into the past to catch full matches on the Kick Classics channel, while aspiring stars can learn the game in the Academy channel. From London to Los Angeles, Buenos Aires to Barcelona, Kick will be covering the world’s most popular sport with unparalleled breadth and depth.
- The NOC: Bringing you the world’s most famous sports stars like you’ve never seen them before, the NOC is a 24-hour channel devoted to athlete lifestyle and comedy. Original shows include Say What, a funny take on what athletes say in social media. The Ice Bucket offers an inside look at how athletes unwind off the field. And FaceOff features athletes competing against celebrities and YouTube stars. Stay tuned for new comedy sketches every month.
Just program these new channels into your homepage now to get some of the latest and greatest on sports!
Ty Barnes, strategic partner development manager, recently watched “Lin for the Win...Jeremy Lin hits game winner in Toronto!”
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Music Tuesday: Live music, original music channels and more
We’ve quite the week of music ahead of us on YouTube, including two live performances and a new selection of channels bringing you closer to the music you love.
Jason Mraz and Sleigh Bells live
It’s February 14 and Jason Mraz wants to be your Valentine. He’ll be dropping into YouTube’s New York HQ to perform a selection of his favorite love songs as part of the YouTube Presents series. Tune in at 1:30pm PT.
And there’s more! Brooklyn-based noise pop duo Sleigh Bells have been wowing audiences with their debut album Treats and live performances. We’ll be giving you a front row seat at their show this Friday night at Terminal 5 in NYC. Catch them on the new Bowery Presents YouTube Channel at 7:30pm PT. And speaking of the Bowery Presents channel...
Noisey, Pitchfork and Bowery come to YouTube
In October, we told you even more great folks were coming to YouTube, and we’ve already seen new channels from areas like action sports, education and autos. Over the next months we’ll be introducing you to the new kids on the YouTube music block and highlighting our favorite shows. To get you started, check-out three new channels entering the world this week, bringing you exclusive performances, behind-the-scenes interviews, news and entertainment.
Vice’s Noisey YouTube Channel lets music fans watch live music, follow the bands they love, and discover the artists who are on the rise — all with that unmistakable Vice feeling. We’re already digging the acerbic reviews from Record Store Dude.
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Since 2008, Pitchfork.tv, has produced award-winning video, documenting independent music as it happened. Beginning February 17, they bring a host of new shows exclusively on their YouTube channel, including Pitchfork Weekly, +1 and Sixty Seconds Left, featuring 1-minute snapshots of artists doing crazy things.
Along with live broadcasts from Bowery’s iconic venues, the new Bowery Presents YouTube Channel will be be a hub for music films and intimate acoustic performances from the industry's leading and emerging artists.
If you like any of these channels, subscribe so you can get all their new videos and updates on your homepage, and see even more tunes on the YouTube music page.
Tim Partridge, music marketing manager, recently watched “Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance WIth Somebody.”
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Brazil’s Carnival goes social with Google
While you may have heard of Brazil’s Carnival (or Carnaval), not everyone will have the chance to fly to Brazil to experience what are arguably the largest annual street festivals (+ music concerts + dance parties + culture fests) in the world.
Every year, Brazilian cities compete to be the country’s top Carnival destination: This year, we’re bringing you the sights, sounds and energy of Brazilian Carnival directly from the streets of Salvador (Brazil’s first capital and one of the oldest cities in the the Americas) through Google+, YouTube and Orkut.
From February 16 to 21 — the height of the festival and the peak of Brazil’s summer — you’ll be able to:
- Watch the festivities wherever you are in the world on the Carnival YouTube Channel. Starting Thursday, February 16, you’ll have access to everything from a live transmission of the streetfest to videos of bands who have traveled to Salvador to host the party. You’ll even be able to chat with other YouTube users who are watching the party with you from around the world through a map we’ve integrated just for the occasion.
- Chat with bands and watch live interviews on Google+. Chat with some of the Brazilian bands who have joined the festivities in real time by sending questions via Google+ and Orkut. You’ll also be able to watch celebrity interviews running live throughout the week on the AoVivo (Live) Google+ Page and transmitted simultaneously on YouTube and Orkut.
Even if you didn’t have a chance to get a plane ticket to Brazil, there’s no reason not to experience the energy of this year’s 2012 Carnival. Find out more about how you can be part of the party on +AoVivo, Orkut or on our Carnival YouTube Channel.
Flavia Simon, head of consumer marketing, Brazil, recently watched "President Obama sings Al Green: Let's Stay Together in 2012."
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Woo your Valentine with help from YouTube
The oldest known Valentine still in existence today is a poem written by a Frenchman, Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was locked away in the Tower of London. On Valentine's Day he sent his wife a rhyming love letter. Written in 1415, this poem now lives in the British Library in London.
The Duke had 25 years in prison to craft poems to make his love swoon, but you have just one day until Valentine’s Day to woo the one you love. So look no further than YouTube to find some inspiration.
Find the way into your Valentine’s heart through his or her stomach with the help of some of YouTube’s cooking channels. From romantic fondue dips to red velvet vegan cupcakes to recipes for raw food hearts, you’re sure to find a dish for any loved one’s palette.
Whatever your budget, whomever your Valentine, truly great gifts are thoughtful and personal. From an origami bouquet of roses to a sentimental deck of cards to tips for creating a romantic dinner at home, YouTube channels have great gift ideas for you.
Finally, are you thinking about asking someone special an important question this Valentine’s Day? The YouTube Slam team cooked up a Valentine's Day Slam of romantic proposals to help you get inspired! Watch the proposals side by side and vote for whichever pulls on your heartstrings or even brings tears to your eyes. And don’t forget to check out the top voted proposals.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Jessica Mason, communications associate, recently watched “How to cook a lobster for Valentine's Day!”
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Content rules the social media roost
Today we welcome Paul Kontonis of the International Academy of Web Television and Digitas to get us ready for Social Media Week, with a look at video on the web.
2012 is being touted as being THE year for web video. Between YouTube’s investment in original channels, Netflix’s original content deals, and Tom Hanks partnering with Yahoo on original programming, there is confidence that these investments help make this a game-changing year.
At the center of online video’s success is social. In fact the futures of both social and content are highly intertwined. Content needs social and social needs content. Social allows for the discovery and sharing of content and video gives people something to share and discover through their social graphs.
Social Media Week reflects the global impact of social media on all aspects of business, society, and culture, and content is no different. From the importance of quality and engaging content, to the distribution and measurement, content’s role is highlighted in a series of events listed below.
- BigScreen LittleScreen: Web Video Content Screenings and Discussion
- Social TV: Opportunities for Broadcasters & Advertisers
- My Social TV app thinks I'm my dad: Privacy Issues in the Age of Convergence
- The Mobile-Social Living Room: How Emerging Media Is Reviving the Live TV Experience
- Making Video Rock
- AktionX: We Produce our own music- Video with dogs of shame!
- How to get more views for your YouTube Videos
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Introducing our February “On The Rise” Nominees
Each month, we identify four YouTube Partners whose Channels have experienced significant growth and are on the cusp of really taking off for our On The Rise program. Our February nominees include both entertainers and educators. Need a car repair tip or fun baking ideas? Want to learn about music production, or watch a drawing come to life? Look no further than the Partner videos below.
So, where do you come in? One of these partners will be featured on the YouTube homepage, and you can help them get there. Check out their videos below and vote for your favorite in the top right corner of this blog. In addition to your votes, each Channel will be evaluated on criteria such as audience engagement and Channel optimization to decide which Channel will be featured on the homepage, Facebook and Twitter at the end of the month.
In past months, Partners like ThePortraitArt and CaliforniaTravelTips have seen tremendous growth in their audience thanks to your support. You have until February 17th at 5pm PT to vote for your favorite Channel. Check back to see who secured the homepage feature on February 28th.
marydoodles
Hailing from Los Angeles, Mary’s day job involves creating props and costumes for Epic Rap Battles of History. Her real hobby, though, is drawing - she’s been doing it her whole life. Check out Mary’s channel to witness her talent in motion.
yoyomax12
Need creative baking ideas for Valentine’s day, birthdays, or other special occasions? Whether you’re an experienced baker or just learning to bake, Tammy’s channel offers easy-to-follow instructional videos packed with fun ideas and recipes for cookies, bars, and cupcakes.
wwwboyinabandcom
Dave is passionate about music. He’s in a band, and he’s dedicated his YouTube channel to hosting free music production tutorials. Listen to his original music, learn how to set up a home studio, read music software/hardware reviews, and more on this Telford, England, native’s channel.
EricTheCarGuy
Eric is a certified master technician dedicated to the art of auto repair and helping the “do-it-yourselfer.” He attended art school, but then shifted his focus to automotives and hasn’t looked back. Check out his channel to learn how to drive a stick shift, replace a fuel pump, or shim a starter.
If you’re interested in checking out more rising YouTube Partners, visit our On The Rise channel, which features nominees, trending partners and monthly blog winners.
Devon Storbeck and Christine Wang, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “9 Year Old Jonny Mizzone - How Mountain Girls Can Love - Sleepy Man Banjo Boys.”
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Syria unrest, Denver snowstorm, earthquake in the Philippines
Everyday on the CitizenTube channel (and @CitizenTube on Twitter), along with our curation partners @storyful, we look at how the top news stories are covered on YouTube. Each week we post a weekly recap of the top news stories of the week, as seen through the lens of both citizen-reported footage and professional news coverage.- We watched the situation in Syria deteriorate into almost relentless violence as military forces laid siege to neighborhoods in Homs.
- We witnessed unrest in the Maldives as President Mohamed Nasheed resigned, handing over power to vice president Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik.
- We monitored the harsh weather in the United States, as cities like Denver suffered record snowfall.
- We saw the New York Giants win their fourth Super Bowl, and the resulting celebrations in New York City.
- We followed the GOP candidates continue their toil on the US campaign trail as Rick Santorum pulled off the hat-trick of Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.
- We were saddened as scores were killed or injured after a powerful earthquake rocked the Philippines.
- We viewed pro & anti-Putin protesters brave the cold in Moscow to voice their opinion of Russia's polemical Prime Minister.
- We observed public anger in Greece despite officials announcing that coalition partners had reached a bailout deal.
Come back next week to see the news unfold on YouTube.
Posted by Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics Manager, recently watched "War Torn: An Iraq Veteran's Story."
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Tighten your laces as we head to the “Fastest Track in the World”
The Millrose Games is regarded as the most historic indoor track & field event in the world, and is now coming to YouTube for the first time.
This event serves as a homecoming for the country’s top men’s and women’s athletes aiming for Olympic Gold in London as they sprint to the finish line on the "world’s fastest indoor track." You can watch the Millrose Games livestream in HD on YouTube starting at 1pm PT Saturday, February, 11, 2012. The premiere showcase begins at 3:45pm PT and runs through the famed Wanamaker Mile around 7pm PT.
Highlights of the event include Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt in pursuit of the first sub-minute 500m dash. Also, three of the women slated to run in the 400-meter dash have won Gold at the Olympic Games, so you can watch Sanya Richards-Ross, Natasha Hastings and Mary Wineberg go head to head.
Get your stopwatches ready as the 2012 Millrose Games are expecting to see top talent challenge long-standing records. You can get even more into track and field on YouTube Sports.
Julie Kikla, YouTube Sports, recently watched “Worlds fastest man meets his match.”
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Your front row seat to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NYC
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicks off today, and you can be front row at the Lincoln Center. YouTube Live From the Runway, presented by Maybelline NY, is your ticket to the hottest shows including Diane Von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, and Vera Wang.
Fashionistas from around the world can watch around 30 of today’s hottest designers live streamed from NYC. You can also find fashion and beauty tutorials, behind-the-scenes action, interviews with designers, models, celebrities and more, all at www.youtube.com/liverunway.
Tune in today through February 16 for the live stream. You can also add your favorite shows to your calendar from the designer line-up schedule on the channel.
Jamie Reichstein, lifestyle program manager, recently watched “Sporty Look for Spring 2012: Trend Report.”
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Lightsabers Out: May the Force Be With Us!
Today we’d like to welcome Chris Hardwick, actor, comedian, writer, and general nerd enthusiast, to the YouTube Blog to announce a truly “out of this world” event. Keep an eye out for Chris on The Nerdist Channel coming to a YouTube near you!
Humans of the ‘Tube! I am BEYOND pleased to blab about something which has been brewing and bubbling at Nerdist Industries for the past few months that is finally ready to spill over into the public consciousness. And now, a leading question! Are you going to San Diego Comic-Con this year? If so, how are you getting there? Plane? Bus? Rickshaw? Pack mule? Some type of matter disassembler/reassembler? Whatever your answer, I’m sure that “on foot” was not on the list….UNTIL NOW!!!
Nerdist Industries—in an exclusive partnership with Lucasfilm and Machinima—is proud to announce COURSE OF THE FORCE, a five-day Olympic-torch-style lightsaber relay run that begins at Santa Monica pier on Saturday, July 7th and ends in San Diego on Wednesday, July 11th (just in time for preview night of SDCC ’12)!
Yes! You heard right (with your eyes)! We are going to run down the California coast—lightsaber ahoist (not a real word)—and pass it off, one nerd at a time. Segments are purchasable in quarter-mile increments and ALL proceeds from your segment monies will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. See? It’s not just a vanity exercise! It actually benefits a wonderful charity.
Here’s some backstory you didn’t ask for! In 2012, I will be attending my 9th San Diego Comic-Con. While I always look forward to that extended weekend of Nerdvana, I sometimes feel a bit like the commercial shininess of it slightly eclipses its intended spirit. To me, going to Cons as a kid was all about having a safe haven—a place where like-minded folks could come together to celebrate nerdly passions and accept each other for the oddball (by the larger and more boring sector of society’s standards) stuff we were all into. Ultimately, it should be the most fun thing of the year. For poop sake, most of you save up your whole year of cash and vacation time to go to SDCC so why not run at it screaming?? This is a rare opportunity to dress like a Sith (or ANYTHING of your choosing, Star Wars-y or not) and run down the beach while power chanting with a glowing sword made of light in your hand. On ANY OTHER DAY that would easily get you arrested or at the very least, detained. Don’t feel like running but want to support someone who is? FINE! Join us for parties, live music and comedy each night along the way.
Space is limited to about 500 running slots so snatch yours POST HASTE at courseoftheforce.com. In addition to a place on the Course, you’ll also get a limited edition lightsaber of your very own and a swag bag that would make a scavenging Jawa jealous. Great swag, general public silliness and a celebration of Nerd pride...all for an amazing cause. Please join us in taking the Con out of the hall and stretching it to a full week of activities as we storm the yellow brick road (sand) to Oz (SDCC)!
If you are geographically challenged and can’t make it out to Southern California in July, the entire relay will be livestreamed at YouTube.com/nerdist, aka, The Nerdist Channel. WHAT IS THAT??? Excellent query, Person! The Nerdist Channel on YouTube is a partnership between Nerdist Industries, The Jim Henson Company, and Broadway Video. We officially launch April 1 and will be bringing you nerd-centric programming with such folks as me, Neil Patrick Harris, Rob Zombie, Awkward Family Videos, The Dudesons and The Kids in the Hall, just to name a few. Additionally, we’ll have programs that cover gaming, science, tech and cosplay. Shows with other people you may recognize as being relevant to your interests will be announced VERY soon so keep an eye glued to Nerdist.com for that business!
Also, if you’ve read this far, you are a nice person and I heartily thank you.
Guest YouTube blogger Chris Hardwick hosts The Nerdist Podcast, AMC’s Talking Dead, and recently watched “COURSE OF THE FORCE - An Epic Journey”. He also enjoys synth-driven rock music and Salt & Vinegar chips.
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Rev the engine: Motor Trend and Drive now on YouTube
If it’s got wheels and a motor, it’s on YouTube. This week we’re going full throttle with two new original channels dedicated to the wide and wild world of motors — Motor Trend and Drive.
The Motor Trend YouTube Channel, created by Source Interlink Media, brings together eight shows from automotive brands you know and love. Like a never-ending auto expo (without the lines), expect to see original programming from the folks behind Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Motorcyclist, Lowrider, FourWheeler, Dirt Rider, Car Craft, Automobile, Import Tuner and more. From speed to style, the Motor Trend Channel will have something for every car lover, and they’ll be listening closely to your feedback to learn what you want to see more of.
If getting under the hood is only the beginning for you, check out the new Drive YouTube Channel, which celebrates the rich culture of cars. From the road to races to factories to studios, Drive will take you as far behind the scenes as as possible. Expect to see news, reviews and commentary from names like Chris Harris, Mike Spinelli, Leo Parente, Alex Roy and more.
With millions of you already coming to YouTube for all things auto, we hope you buckle up and enjoy these new channels!
Graham Bennett, original programming content partnerships, recently watched “Cavitation.”
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Vacation inspiration from travel experts at YouTube Vacationer
If you’re planning a vacation, check out the new YouTube Vacationer Channel. Vacationer is a one-rest-stop destination for travel videos from folks like National Geographic, LonelyPlanet and the TravelChannel, and is presented by Alamo Rent-A-Car.
Whether you’re already planning spring break, getting ready for a road trip or hungry to experience new cuisines in exotic places, Vacationer can take you around the world and back. Not ready to leave the house? Vacationer also has travel eye-candy and on-the-road reporting, so you can broaden your horizons from the comfort of your home, couch or commute.
So pull over to the Vacationer Channel and start planning your next great adventure.
Alison Walker, lifestyle marketing program manager, recently watched “Hungry in San Francisco - Three Babes Bake Shop.”
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After NextUp, Next Chef and Next Trainer, What’s Next? You tell us!
One of the most rewarding projects I worked on in 2011 was the Next Creator program (comprised of YouTube NextUp, YouTube Next Chef, and YouTube Next Trainer). These programs worked to catapult 91 content creators’ careers across 15 different countries, by providing them with production and audience development training, new video equipment, promotion, and mentoring from DeStorm, FreddieW, Michelle Phan, Chow.com and Billy Blanks.
But what’s next for the Next Creator program? There are still millions of creators who could benefit from participating in the program, so we’re excited to continue to expand the program further. That’s where you come in — we'd like to hear which type of content we should launch for the next round. Maybe you're a budding beauty guru and want to see YouTube Next Beautician; or, perhaps you're a habitual big personality vlogger and have been waiting for YouTube Next Vlogger.
Whatever you want to see next, let us know by voting on some categories and by suggesting your own here. You may vote and submit as many as you’d like before February 19th. We'll then evaluate the top-voted suggestions and bring some of these to you this year!
2012 is going to be an incredibly exciting year for YouTube creators. Stay tuned for more initiatives that will empower you to take your YouTube career to the next level — coming very soon!
Bing Chen, global creator initiatives manager, recently watched Ryan The Truth Higa’s “Word of the Day - Swog."
