The grainy 19-second YouTube video that started it all hardly had the makings of a viral sensation.
Shot at the San Diego Zoo, the primitive video clip showed Jawed Karim, the platform’s co-founder, complimenting the elephants in the frame behind him. “The cool thing about these guys is they have really, really, really long trunks,” Karim said.
The clip, titled “Me at the zoo,” was the first video uploaded onto YouTube 20 years ago, opening the door to a new medium of television.
From those modest beginnings, the site opened the gates for users from around the world to post funny, viral videos that could take the internet by storm, racking up millions of views and earning some millions of dollars.
YouTube has evolved into not a mere tech operation, but a formidable force in television.
Popular music artists such as Justin Bieber rose to fame on YouTube and social media stars including MrBeast turned their large followings into powerful entertainment companies. The destination for homemade videos such as “Charlie bit my finger” is now the streaming home to large music festivals like Coachella and NFL football games.
Google-owned YouTube’s revenue last year was estimated to be $54.2 billion, which would make it the second-largest media company behind Walt Disney Co., according to a recent...
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