By It took some time, especially considering Multi-National Forces-Iraq has been doing this for quite some time, but USFK has finally launched official YouTube channels:
U.S. Army garrisons in South Korea are bringing their stories to the world through the Internet.
The garrisons, which belong to Installation Management Command-Korea, are broadcasting videos about life on their installations via their own YouTube.com channels.
Officials began developing the channels, which are dedicated pages on the popular video-sharing Internet site, in early July when they posted the first one for IMCOM-K.
U.S. Army garrisons Yongsan, Humphreys and Daegu followed, and a Red Cloud channel went online Thursday.
Videos on the channels are a combination of locally produced products, American Forces Network stories and Soldiers’ Media Center content, said IMCOM-K spokesman Ed Johnson.
Johnson said the pages were initiated to follow guidance Army spokespeople received during a May conference, when they were told they should try to embrace “emerging media” on the Internet. [Stars & Stripes]
It would be nice if the article actually included links to the YouTube channels but I was able to track them down on YouTube for everyone:
USAG-Camp Humphreys YouTube Channel
USAG-Camp Red Cloud YouTube Channel
It is good to see that USFK has finally joined the new media revolution that has been going on for the past few years. The challenge however will be keeping the sites updated. All to often in USFK you see a great idea go by the way side because the person that initially had all the energy to implement the idea then completes their tour in Korea and their replacement isn’t as enthusiastic about keeping the idea going.
Let’s hope that this good idea doesn’t turn out that way.
3:49 pm on August 11th, 2008 1
I noticed some USFK You Tube items up about a year ago and thought it was great.
They should especially get up those community-related items that you see in Stars and Stripes from time to time — like the visits to schools, orphanages, old folks homes, and so on. Or the times the Korean community is invited on base. Or the helping of farmers. Or the Korean culture classes. And so on.
I have a feeling that kind of stuff happens at at least one base both here and there — fairly frequently — that something like that happens somewhere in Korea near a US base more often that what gets reported in the Stars and Stripes.
You Tube should offer a much easier way to get stuff like out. Soldiers with digital cameras or camcorders can do it without having to send out an AFKN camera crew….
6:15 pm on August 11th, 2008 2
This is absolutely brilliant with a big caveat IF this is going to be an attempt to reach the common GI and Korean public.
Though this "new" YouTube stuff is the IM-COM remakes of its other websites, it can be a PR boon IF they handle it properly. It can be the link needed to put the USFK bases in touch with the communities where they live.
If the common soldier is allowed to post here (with moderation involved) — TERRIFIC!!! However, if this is nothing more than a bulletin board of vetted "official use only" stuff then this will be nothing special — for in-house use only.
When the USFK first ran for cover behind their firewall, the biggest hit was communication with the KOREAN public. Though the old magazine format (8th Army Rock Steady), 2ID Indianhead Publications and Morning Calm — and Warrior Country Blog — was strictly for USFK personnel, they atleast provided some news that Koreans could view. Yes, as a PR tool they were not very good — but atleast they were something.
After the USFK went behind the firewall, there was NOTHING. And USFK site — even with Korean translations — was just too boring to read with outdated news briefs and stuff no Korean — or atleast the ones that they wanted to reach — was going to look at them. Truthfully, the USFK stuff was boring and simply a website where the USFK was talking to itself.
Will this YouTube be a success?
The real question comes out over who will be allowed to post on this YouTube site. If the common soldier posts to it — though inputs moderated — I believe this will become an instant hit with GIs AND Koreans. However, if it is going to be restricted to "official use only" stuff, then we get back to — YAWN — forgettable stuff. It will be just a waste of bandwidth.
7:07 pm on August 11th, 2008 3
I agree with Kalani though I didn't highlight like that when I talked about not having to send out an official AFKN crew.
From what I can remember, the You Tube stuff I saw was basically AFKN material and some shorts from military websites – stuff that mainly or exclusively focused on things like training and stuff that might be interesting to USFK members.
I think training exercises and other things about the day-to-day activity on USFK bases and training areas has some value – showing what USFK actually does.
But, the real benefit – in relation to Korean society – will come from bits about community-related items that go on.
Footage of a small group of volunteer GIs helping some local small farmer harvest rice — which is a story you see about once a year at least in the Stars and Stripes – does have a big impact with Koreans who see it. (At least from what I saw back when I was teaching Korean adults in the late 1990s).
12:36 am on August 12th, 2008 4
I agree that Kalani makes good points as well. The sites haven't been up very long so it is hard to make conclusions, but so far the
The Daegu site actually has a lot of the type of videos that USinKorea mentions. The IMCOM, Humphreys, and CRC sites appears to have a lot of the PAO type of videos. When I have time I will dig through them.
The worst site is the Yongsan site which only has three videos on it but like I said before the site haven't been up very long.
Something I could never understand is why with all these KATUSAs in USFK some sort of site on a Korean media sharing site or even a Cyworld page isn't set up to reach the Korean audience which is what really matters in USFK PAO efforts. Korea even has its own Korean YouTube page so why not set one up for KATUSAs to post on to reach the Korean audience?
1:53 am on August 12th, 2008 5
That's rich… youtube is freaking blocked on USFK networks. WTF.
6:10 am on November 20th, 2008 6
[...] actually publish videos people want to see. USFK a few months back had their subordinate commands start their own YouTube channels which is a start but these sites are not being updated. If you look through the various sites they [...]