I have been posting quite a number of videos produced by the EU on this blog; some better than others; some longer than others; some more controversial than others. But they all have one caracteristic in common: you need to look for them. I mean, the European Union spends a lot of money producing video material, some of which actually not very good. And it produces a huge number of videos: the EuTube channel, (yes, it is the right spelling!) has around 400 videos. And this is only the channel of the Commission, so no Parliament, no Council, nor any of the agencies.
The channel has more than 16 thousand subscribers and had around 20 million and five hundred views since its birth in 2006. That sounds impressive? Well, not really, if you think that the most viewed video of all times, one single video, Gangnam style by Korean singer Psy, has been viewed more than 800 million times in only 4 months (actually, I am very puzzled about that one too, but that is for another time! Have a look at it anyway).
Maybe an unfair comparison but, more to the point, what is the distribution strategy for all the EU’s video material? Wouldn’t it be better to produce a bit less and use the saved money to distribute the rest a bit more? Why nobody – and please contradict me if you have – has ever seen one of the good videos – for example the one on women on boards that I uploaded last week – on a national television? Is it that difficult or that expensive? Have the people in charge for these videos in the Commission ever tried to get some special deals with member states broadcasters or with cinemas across the EU? I know that we are in the internet age so that’s where all videos should be, and I am very pleased that the video I just mentioned is on the homepage of the website of Commissioner Reding. But let’s be honest, how many people will voluntarily go to that website? The fact that this material has been produced and posted online does not mean the job is done if nobody watches it; it’s just a waste of money and of a great opportunity.
Everybody working in the institutions here in Brussels complains that Europe is misunderstood and that European citizens are not really aware of all the good things the EU does for them. Then would it not be a good idea to start showing what it does for them and promote this kind of material in member states? Just a thought.
PS: In case you were interested, here is the most popular video on the EuTube channel (and I am sure that the fact that it’s a sex scene has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it is the most viewed!)
