Is YouTube the new PayPerPost?

Yep, I am going there. Today I took a look at a video about the man who saved another person's life in the NYC subways. I used to work in those tunnels for the MTA and am just amazed and think the man is an absolute hero. But that part of the story is for another day and another of my web sites. What I want to discuss is the page on YouTube that displays the videos of this hero.

There are two videos of this event (many more too but let's focus on these 2). Here is an example screenshot:

So from what I can tell this video is a paid post by CBS. But where does it say that? Nowhere. Where is the disclosure? C'mon. We have major bloggers going off time and again against Payperpost about their paid bloggers not disclosing the fact that they were paid, yet when CBS pays to get a higher listing and ranking in YouTube, there is no hoo-haa? Shouldn't the rule be: If it is a friggin advert, say so? Says "Provided by CBS" – is that enough, does that qualify as a disclaimer?

Alright so the flaming will begin immediately based on you believing that this video is content and not an advert. I can understand that argument. However while it is content, it was not user-generated, it was paid to appear the way it is and is promoted by YouTube.

And frankly the more I surf YouTube, the more I see the commercialized and paid for videos appearing higher and promoted heavier than the ones you and I upload. Mashable has a good overview of some of the latest promotions including Chevy, Cadillac (this one is a joke), Coke, and your 15 seconds of fame. The commercialization of YouTube from individual user-generated media to corporate-generated-sponsored media has reached Phase 2. (And to be clear, I don't think there is anything wrong with this shift, just interested to see if/when a backlash might begin from those who will say YouTube sold out.)

Maybe I am completely off-base here. But ad advert should be called an advert even if it has a video included. The plantiff rests. Defense call your first witness.