South Africa, Feb. 18 -- YouTube's rise to dominance

When YouTube was first launched in 2005, its impact on the media landscape was minimal, even going unnoticed in The Guardian's coverage of TV's Digital Revolution at the Edinburgh TV Festival.

However, two decades later, YouTube has transformed into a massive competitor to traditional TV, with its growth reshaping the media industry.

Today, YouTube uploads as many new videos every five minutes as the 2,400 hours BBC Studios produces in an entire year.

Popular creators like Mr Beast, a 26-year-old YouTube star, earned $85m in 2024 from a range of content, from live gaming streams to philanthropic acts like providing free cataract surgeries.

A business juggernaut

YouTube is now valu...