Abstract
Th e most popular youtuber of all times, PewDiePie, has repeatedly criticized
YouTube and mainstream news outlets, though both have contributed to position
PewDiePie as a highly successful youtuber. Th is paper examines how PewDiePie
manages his role as a youtuber: How he emerges as a credible youtuber creating an authentic relationship with his audience, while his commercial success depends on the transformation of these authentic relationships into monetary profi t. Drawing on the ideology of indie culture, the article explores how the dialectic relation between indie culture and mainstream culture is central for PewDiePie’s criticism of YouTube and mainstream news outlets. In addition, the article draws on the concept of the microcelebrity to fully grasp the internet culture that has produced PewDiePie’s massive popularity. It is concluded that, while PewDiePie draws on indie discourses in the production of video content, the criticism is also a stylistic element in PewDiePie’s brand.
YouTube and mainstream news outlets, though both have contributed to position
PewDiePie as a highly successful youtuber. Th is paper examines how PewDiePie
manages his role as a youtuber: How he emerges as a credible youtuber creating an authentic relationship with his audience, while his commercial success depends on the transformation of these authentic relationships into monetary profi t. Drawing on the ideology of indie culture, the article explores how the dialectic relation between indie culture and mainstream culture is central for PewDiePie’s criticism of YouTube and mainstream news outlets. In addition, the article draws on the concept of the microcelebrity to fully grasp the internet culture that has produced PewDiePie’s massive popularity. It is concluded that, while PewDiePie draws on indie discourses in the production of video content, the criticism is also a stylistic element in PewDiePie’s brand.
| Original language | Danish |
|---|---|
| Journal | MedieKultur: Journal of media and communication research |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 65 |
| Pages (from-to) | 31-53 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| ISSN | 0900-9671 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |