The rise of YouTube is something to behold.

In last week’s Sunday Times – under the headline of ‘From YouTube to our tube’ – Youtube’s CEO Susan Wojcicki talked at length about how she wants the company to become the world’s most important broadcaster.  And if life in my household is anything to go by then they are well on the way to doing this.

My sons would much prefer to pour over what’s on YouTube than sit in front of ‘the box’ (as we oldies so quaintly refer to the TV).  In the last few months I have myself used YouTube videos to repair everything from the dishwasher to my car.  It has done wonders for my self-esteem as a homeowner.

Some weeks ago ‘The Week’ reported that many plastic surgeons are using YouTube to learn new surgical procedures.  I am not sure I share the journalists shock and outrage.  We should be pleased that some plastic surgeons are using anything as a guide given the parlous standards in the profession.

Last week I met a colleague whose daughter has a massive youth following on YouTube.  is one of modern life’s where she dispenses new troubadour’s .  A children’s charity once told me about a patient video they had lovingly produced.  They put it on their website where it was duly ignored. Then someone picked it up, put it on YouTube. and tweeted the link. The viewing figures spiralled quickly into the thousands.

Science and the science community are prodigious broadcasters and consumers of YouTube content.  It has its own science channel.  There are regular articles of this ilk which list the best YouTube. Many universities like my own host institution – UCL – also have dedicated channels.

As does the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) – NIHRtv.

NIHR also runs a regular ‘new Media Competition’ and the 2016 entries are now on YouTube.  All 27 of them. You can see them here and they are well worth a look.  There are also public screenings of all the videos taking place in Sheffield (9th May) and Teignmouth (13th May). More details here.

It’s great to see people test out and show their skills in this way and with such thought and creativity. This year there is a special prize for the video that best shows the impact of public involvement in research.  The winners will be announced in late May/early June and previous winners of the competition can be found here.

Enjoy.  (Please pass around too!).