Will Tucker Carlson Change The Face Of Social Media – Is Twitter The Next Video Platform To Offer Original Content?

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Tucker Carlson will take his former Fox News show to Twitter in a new format that is posted there. It comes less than one month after conservative news outlets abruptly parted with their most popular prime time host.

There aren’t that many places left where free speech is allowed. “The only big platform left in the entire world is Twitter. This is where we’re at right now,” Carlson stated in his announcement.

Already, there have been rumors that Twitter, which Elon Musk purchased last year at a cost of $44 Billion, may see another mass exodus as a result of the decision to offer Carlson a platform. His primetime show on Fox News regularly attracted around three million viewers – a sizeable audience for cable news, but a drop in the bucket for Twitter.

What is the future of Twitter as a video platform?

It hasn’t been revealed how many times Carlson will be posting to Twitter or the format of his show.

The question is, can Twitter pivot?

Twitter started out as a microblog, a way for people to communicate with their friends and co-workers. It evolved into a tool that allows users to express their views to a wider audience.

This is a very interesting move. Twitter is not known primarily as a video platform – especially in comparison to competitors like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube,” explained Cliff Lampe, professor of information and associate dean for academic affairs in the University of Michigan’s School of Information.

Lampe said that many celebrities use Twitter as a way to reach out to their audience. However, I cannot think of any celebrities who combine Twitter with video.

However, Musk is already showing that he is willing to take some chances with Twitter – and a pivot to original content could allow it to compete with those other platforms. Viewers/users shouldn’t be expecting Tucker Carlson to produce a show that is identical to Fox News. It will instead have to created with social networking in mind.

Jason Mollica teaches at American University’s School of Communication.

Mollica quoted a HubSpot report from last month, which showed that only 2% thought the optimal length of a video was 12 minutes or more.

Mollica suggests that videos under three minutes are the most effective way to attract and retain an audience. “Twitter Blue currently offers subscribers the ability to upload videos — up to 60 minutes long — to its website. Data shows that more is not better. “Just because Tucker Carlson is bringing his Fox News show on Twitter, we’ll see if viewers watch an hour.”

Mollica said that you can reach a specific audience on TV. The game is different for each social media network.

Even if the form is shorter, the message can be the same.

As noted above, this could drive away some users from Twitter. This could attract many Carlson viewers, who have never tweeted before. However, it will not help Twitter in the long-term.

Lampe suggested that “it could be the celebrity’s ‘free-speech zone’ was more important than revenue.” This is unlikely because other sites like Parler or Gab have more lax moderation policies, yet they have only a fraction the number of users that Twitter does.

Production Quality

There are already a plethora of Twitter users who share their videos on the platform – along with those who now produce original content for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. It is now easier to create content, but production quality still matters as much as actual content.

Carlson’s post Fox News video that he posted on Twitter was mocked by many for its lackluster production. Many thought it was filmed at a sauna, not on a stage. Twitter users may be used to the low-key nature of Carlson’s videos but they might expect more.

The majority of creators don’t have a team or production facilities? Twitter building a Carlson studio is something we can expect.

Mollica says that YouTube provides a platform for uploading and sharing.

Lampe continued, “These platforms are expensive to produce.” “Twitter wouldn’t typically cover those costs. But Musk makes some impulsive decision, especially when celebrities get involved.”

Musk may be courting Carlson for the platform. Twitter announced an ad-revenue sharing model in February that is similar to the way platforms such as TikTok or YouTube reward content creators.

Lampe added that “a celebrity like Carlson, with an audience built in to it already, could prove interesting as a test for the new revenue sharing model. It could also be incredibly lucrative.” The use of a platform is always difficult to alter, and it can be hard for it to do so. However, it could help Twitter enter the video market. It’s not likely but it is possible. You will see many other people follow the example if it is successful.”

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